Full Breakdown
West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision: Massive Appeal Surge and High Inclusion Rate
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
The Election Commission (EC) launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal’s electoral rolls ahead of the state Assembly elections. The draft roll was published on December 17, 2025, and the revision process continued through supplementary lists and adjudication of roughly 60 lakh “doubtful and pending” cases. By the time the revision was completed, the EC reported that about 91 lakh voters—nearly 11.9 % of the state’s electorate—had been removed from the rolls, a figure slated for confirmation by April 6.
Core Event – Scale of Appeals and Outcomes
In response to the SIR, the EC informed the Supreme Court that 38,20,683 appeals have been filed. 22,21,000 (? 82 %) were lodged by voters whose names had been deleted, seeking reinstatement. An additional 16,10,000 appeals sought further deletion of names already retained.
Appellate tribunals, constituted on the Supreme Court’s direction, began hearing cases in April. By mid-September, only a small fraction of the backlog had been resolved.
Data & Statistics
- Total appeals filed: 38.20 lakh
- Appeals by deleted voters: 22.21 lakh (? 82 % of the 27.16 lakh deletions)
- Appeals seeking further deletion: 16.10 lakh
- Decided appeals (latest affidavit): 1.02 lakh (? 3.1 % of total)
- Pending appeals: 37.18 lakh
- Success rate for decided deletion-appeals: 93 % resulted in inclusion; 8,649 of 1.2 lakh were rejected.
- Form 6 applications (inclusion requests) filed Dec 17 2025–Aug 7 2026: 34.13 lakh
Official Statements & Responses
Tribunals tended to prioritize appeals supported by documentary proof, which may explain the high inclusion rate. The commission also noted that, even if the petitioner’s figures were accepted, adjudicated deletions in many constituencies were lower than the margin of defeat for the petitioner’s own party candidates.
Criticism & Opposition
Derek O’Brien of the TMC claimed the SIR deletions amounted to “effective disenfranchisement” and altered results in 21 constituencies where deletions exceeded the winning margin. The EC called this portrayal “wholly incorrect and misleading,” maintaining that the deletions did not affect the overall outcome.
Congress leader Prasenjit Bose, chair of the West Bengal Congress SIR committee, submitted a plea for constituency-wise deletion data, warning that the process could eliminate genuine voters and shape results.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Number of appeals against deletions: A poll official quoted by *The Telegraph* on August 6 said only 7 lakh of the 38.2 lakh appeals were against deletions, whereas the EC’s data to the Supreme Court shows 22.21 lakh.
- Appeals decided by mid-September: The EC’s affidavit cites 1,26,194 cases decided by September 16, while an annexure lists 1,22,592 cases disposed of by September 10. The discrepancy is not clarified.
These inconsistencies highlight limited transparency in the adjudication process and leave questions about the full scope of deletions and the speed of pending appeals.