West Bengal continues to witness intense political activity ahead of Assembly elections. Meanwhile, voter list scrutiny has added another layer of concern. Additionally, the Election Commission shared fresh data about ongoing verification.
Fresh Deletions After Recent Scrutiny
A top Election Commission official spoke in Kolkata on Wednesday. Furthermore, authorities reviewed around 32 lakh voter names during this phase. Additionally, nearly 40 percent of these names faced removal. Consequently, around 13 lakh voters got deleted from the list.
Moreover, officials confirmed earlier removals under the SIR process. Additionally, about 63 lakh names had already been removed earlier. Therefore, the total number of deleted voters now stands near 76 lakh.
Decline in Total Voter Numbers
The commission released the first supplementary list on Monday. However, it did not share exact deletion numbers. Consequently, several groups criticised the lack of transparency.
Earlier, after the SIR calculation phase, 58 lakh names were removed. Therefore, total eligible voters dropped from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore. Additionally, reasons included deaths, migration, and duplicate entries.
Subsequently, a list released on February 28 showed further decline. Moreover, valid voters reduced to slightly above 7.04 crore. Additionally, over 60 lakh names remained under adjudication.
Pending Cases and Ongoing Process
So far, authorities have resolved 32 lakh cases. Meanwhile, around 28 lakh cases still await decisions. Additionally, 705 judicial officers continue handling these pending matters.
The Election Commission uploaded nearly 10 lakh names on its website. However, officials lacked exact data on removed names in that list.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal shared updates. Furthermore, he stated that action had been completed on around 29 lakh cases. Additionally, only e-sign verified names appeared in the supplementary list.
What Happens Next
The commission plans to release supplementary lists regularly. Furthermore, new lists are expected every Friday in coming weeks. Additionally, the next list may arrive soon.
Meanwhile, the CEO has approached Calcutta High Court. Moreover, he requested permission to publish lists daily. However, the court scheduled the hearing after March 27.
