Over 21 Lakh Dead Voters Identified in West Bengal, Election Commission Scrambles to Finalize Voter List
Kolkata : A major voter list discrepancy has come to light in West Bengal, with the Election Commission (ECI) identifying over 21 lakh dead voters in the state as of Monday afternoon.
According to sources within the Election Commission, a significant number of these dead voters—more than 2.75 lakh—have been identified in just one district, North 24 Parganas. The second and third districts with the highest number of dead voters are West Bardhaman and South 24 Parganas.
The discovery was made as part of the ECI’s special comprehensive revision of the voter list across the state. The revision aims to update and verify voter information, ensuring that only eligible individuals are included in the electoral roll.
Sources from the commission revealed that over 90 percent of the digitisation of the counting forms has already been completed, though the final tally of dead voters will only be confirmed once all the ‘uncollected’ counting forms have been digitised.
These uncollected forms include data related to absentee voters, permanently displaced individuals, deceased voters, and duplicate entries. However, the process of digitisation has been delayed as Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in several districts have yet to upload these forms.
Officials familiar with the matter said that some BLOs are hesitating to upload the forms, allegedly due to ‘instructions’ from local administrations. This hesitation has caused a bottleneck in the revision process, hindering the accurate identification of deceased voters.
To address the issue, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal and Special Observer of Electoral Roll Subrata Gupta have met with District Magistrates (DMs) who are also acting as District Election Observers (DEOs). The meeting was aimed at streamlining the process and ensuring the completion of the voter list revision ahead of the upcoming elections.
The identification of deceased voters has sparked concerns about the integrity of the voter rolls and the potential for voter fraud. The Election Commission is under pressure to rectify the situation, as the voter list is one of the most critical aspects of election transparency and fairness.
As the digitisation process continues, the Election Commission is expected to take further action to ensure that the electoral roll is updated and cleaned, eliminating duplicate and deceased entries before the elections are held. The final deadline for this revision is fast approaching, and the ECI is working to ensure that the process is completed smoothly.
The identification of such a large number of dead voters also raises questions about the quality of the previous voter list and the potential misuse of outdated or incorrect information in the electoral process. The Election Commission’s efforts to correct these discrepancies are crucial for ensuring free, fair, and credible elections in the state.
