'Electors declared eligible by judiciary to be added to electoral roll': West Bengal CEO on final voter list after SIR exercise

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], February 28 (ANI): Names of the electors in West Bengal declared eligible by the judiciary will be added to the electoral roll, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, said on Saturday.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) released the final electoral roll following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal, stating that 5,46,053 voters have been deleted using Form 7 after the draft list was published in December 2025.
The total number of voters in West Bengal now stands at 7,04,59,284 voters (7.04 crore) as compared to 7,66,37,529 (7.66 crore) before the SIR exercise, showing a change of more than 61 lakh names in the list.
When asked about the supplementary list based on the judicial process, West Bengal CEO told reporters, "Work on the supplementary list is going on as per the judicial process. Earlier, it was stated that this would not be the final list, but subsequently, the Supreme Court has ordered that today's list is the final list. After this, whenever any people are declared eligible by the judiciary, their names will be added to the list. On the last day of nomination, whatever names will be added will be included in the list."
Amid the row over the "logical discrepancy" category, Agarwal clarified that the category included 1.20 crore names, not 1.50 crore as claimed.
"The logical discrepancy was technically around 1 crore 20 lakhs, not 1 crore 50 lakhs," he said, addressing the media in Kolkata.
Giving the data, he further said that more than 60 lakh names have been placed under the adjudication of the judiciary.
"After the draft list, forms six and seven also came. There have been some additions after the draft list, some subtractions as well. At the time of the draft list, on December 16, 2025, it was 7,08,16,630. Today's data is 7,04,59,284; approximately 60,06,675 were gone in adjudication. The judges are working on it," he said.
He noted that the electors deleted can also appeal and undergo a judicial process.
The West Bengal CEO said, "Around 5 lakh names have been deleted in the state. They can appeal to the DO and CO, and they will go through the entire judicial process. But those who have been removed due to the hearing of ERO or because of the submission of Form 7 have the option to file an appeal with the DO and finally with the CO. The time frame for this is 15 days."
"It is not our duty to go and find everybody. It's the duty of the citizen to apply because Form 6 is such a form that, unless the person applies, nobody can fill it out on their behalf. Even a family member cannot fill it up. So, this is a form that has to be filled out. The Election Commission does not have the onus; they can urge you, can do sweep activities, can educate you. The Election Commission can have literacy clubs and so many things. But it cannot force you to apply for Form 6," he added.
According to a press note by the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), a total of 58,20,899 Enumeration Forms were not received, as the poll body found 24,16,852 voters to be deceased, 12,20,039 absent, 19,88,076 shifted, 1,38,328 already enrolled, and 57,604 names were deleted based on other reasons.
After the ECI published the draft voter list on December 16, 2025, the poll body added a total of 1,82,036 voters to the list using Forms 6 and 6A, and made 6,671 additions by Form 8. (ANI)