Voter list revision exposes 85 lakh data errors in West Bengal
New Delhi: Shocking discrepancies have surfaced during the special revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, with incorrect details found in nearly 85 lakh voter records.
Instances such as fathers being shown as only 15 years older than their sons and grandfathers listed as under 40 years of age have highlighted serious flaws in the voter database, raising concerns over the accuracy and credibility of the electoral rolls.
According to sources in the Election Commission of India (ECI), the scale of errors has prompted preparations for a comprehensive re-verification of around 1.38 crore voter records across the state. Officials say the anomalies were detected during the routine special summary revision process, which is carried out ahead of elections to update voter details and remove inaccuracies.
The data reveals multiple categories of irregularities. At least 57.52 lakh voters could not be physically traced during the verification exercise, while the names of 24.14 lakh deceased persons were still found on the rolls. Additionally, more than 11.57 lakh voters were untraceable at their registered addresses, and 19.89 lakh voters were found to have shifted to different locations without updating their details.
Duplication has emerged as another major issue. As many as 13.05 lakh voters were found to have their names registered at more than one place, violating electoral norms and potentially opening the door to misuse. Election Commission sources also stated that in over 11.57 lakh cases, verification forms could not be collected due to various reasons, including locked houses, migration, or non-cooperation.
The revelations have triggered serious concern within the Election Commission, especially given West Bengal’s history of closely contested elections and allegations of electoral malpractice. Officials have underlined that inaccurate voter lists can undermine free and fair elections and erode public trust in the democratic process.
The Commission is now expected to intensify field-level verification, use technology-driven cross-checks, and coordinate with local administration to clean up the rolls. Political parties are also likely to be asked to cooperate by flagging bogus or duplicate entries through the established claims and objections process.
While the ECI has maintained that voter list revisions are a continuous and transparent exercise, the magnitude of errors detected in West Bengal has put the spotlight on systemic challenges in maintaining accurate electoral data. With upcoming electoral battles on the horizon, the outcome of this large-scale re-verification exercise will be closely watched by political parties, civil society groups and voters alike.
Also Read: Gujarat family kidnapped in Libya; ransom demand of ₹1 crore made
