The final voter list for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections has been officially released on 28 February 2026 after a major revision exercise carried out by the Election Commission of India.
The revision, conducted through a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, was aimed at cleaning up the electoral rolls to remove inaccuracies such as duplicate entries, deceased voters, migrated residents and unverifiable records.
However, the exercise has sparked significant political controversy in the state, with the ruling All India Trinamool Congress alleging that genuine voters may have been removed from the list.
The updated voter list will play a crucial role as West Bengal prepares for its high-stakes Assembly elections later in 2026.
Over 7 Crore Electors Categorised In Final Electoral Roll
According to the Election Commission, the final voter list classifies around 7.08 crore electors across the state.
The revised electoral roll categorises voters into three groups:
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Approved voters – Names confirmed in the final list
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Deleted voters – Entries removed due to discrepancies
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Under adjudication – Cases still under review
Earlier draft rolls released on 16 December 2025 had already shown a sharp drop in the electorate, declining from 7.66 crore voters to 7.08 crore voters.
This means over 58 lakh voter names were removed during the revision process.
The Election Commission stated that deletions occurred for several reasons:
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Death of voters
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Migration to other regions
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Duplicate entries
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Untraceable or incorrect records
The poll body emphasised that the revision is a routine exercise carried out periodically to ensure the electoral roll remains accurate and updated.
Political Controversy Intensifies Ahead Of Elections
The voter list revision has turned into a major political flashpoint in West Bengal’s heated political landscape.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed the revision process, arguing that lakhs of legitimate voters could lose their voting rights due to errors or procedural flaws.
Banerjee even took the unusual step of personally appearing before the Supreme Court of India earlier this month.
She requested that the next Assembly elections be conducted using the existing 2025 electoral rolls, rather than the newly revised list.
During the hearing, Banerjee alleged:
“Lakhs of genuine voters are at risk of exclusion. This is not revision, this is omission.”
Her party has also described the SIR exercise as “NRC through the backdoor,” suggesting that the process could potentially target specific communities.
Supreme Court Intervention In Electoral Roll Revision
The Supreme Court has been closely monitoring the revision process.
Earlier in February, the court directed the Election Commission to deploy serving and retired district judges to supervise parts of the voter list verification exercise.
This step was taken to ensure transparency and fairness during the revision process.
The top court also allowed the Election Commission to publish the final voter list by 28 February, while permitting supplementary lists to be issued later if required.
The Election Commission has reiterated that:
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The SIR exercise is not linked to citizenship verification
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Voters whose names were removed have legal avenues for appeal
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Corrections can still be made through official procedures
Massive Hearings Conducted During The Revision
The second phase of the revision involved large-scale verification hearings across the state.
Officials conducted hearings covering around 1.67 crore electors.
These included:
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1.36 crore voters flagged for “logical discrepancies” in their records
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31 lakh voters lacking proper mapping to polling stations
Even after these hearings, around 60 lakh voter records remain under adjudication.
These cases may still be reviewed and corrected if necessary.
Allegations Of Disenfranchisement And Political Tensions
The revision exercise has also been linked to wider concerns about voter disenfranchisement.
The Trinamool Congress has claimed that more than 120 deaths have occurred since the revision process began on 4 November 2025, including alleged suicides by voters and booth-level officers.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party has rejected these allegations.
BJP leaders have accused the ruling party of spreading fear among voters for political gain.
Other opposition parties such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Indian National Congress have also questioned the timing of the revision exercise so close to the elections.
Why Electoral Roll Revision Matters
Electoral roll revisions are an essential part of maintaining fair elections in any democracy.
The Election Commission periodically conducts these revisions to:
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Remove names of deceased voters
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Eliminate duplicate entries
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Add newly eligible voters
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Update addresses and polling details
Without regular updates, electoral rolls can become outdated, leading to duplicate votes, identity issues and logistical problems during elections.
However, such exercises often become controversial because large-scale deletions can raise concerns about voter suppression.
How To Check Your Name In West Bengal Voter List 2026
If you are a voter in West Bengal, it is important to verify whether your name appears in the final electoral roll.
The Election Commission provides multiple ways to check your voter status.
1. Check Using ECINET Mobile App
Download the ECINET mobile application and search your name using:
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EPIC number (voter ID number)
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Personal details like name, age and district
2. Check On Official Election Commission Website
Follow these steps:
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Visit the official portal:
voters.eci.gov.in -
Click on “Download Electoral Roll” under the Services section.
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Select the following details:
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State: West Bengal
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Year of Revision: 2026
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Roll Type: SIR Final Roll 2026
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District
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Assembly Constituency
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Preferred Language
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Download the electoral roll PDF and search for your name.
3. Check On State CEO Website
You can also verify your name through the Chief Electoral Officer website:
ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in
This portal provides:
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Electoral roll search
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Polling booth information
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Voter registration services
4. Contact Your Booth Level Officer (BLO)
If you are unable to find your name online, you can:
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Visit your local polling station
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Contact your Booth Level Officer (BLO)
They can help verify your details and guide you on how to file a correction or inclusion request.
What To Do If Your Name Is Missing
If your name does not appear in the voter list, you should take immediate action.
Steps you can follow include:
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File Form 6 to apply for inclusion in the voter list
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Submit supporting documents such as identity and address proof
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Contact the local election office or BLO
The Election Commission has stated that eligible voters whose names were wrongly deleted can still seek corrections through proper procedures.
Impact On Upcoming West Bengal Assembly Elections
The release of the final voter list is one of the most important steps before the state assembly elections.
West Bengal is expected to witness intense political competition, with major parties gearing up for a high-stakes battle.
The updated electoral rolls will determine:
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Total number of eligible voters
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Polling station arrangements
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Election logistics and constituency dynamics
Given the massive scale of voter deletions and ongoing disputes, the electoral roll revision is likely to remain a major political issue throughout the election campaign.
✔ Bottom Line:
The West Bengal Voter List 2026 has been officially released following the Special Intensive Revision, categorising over 7.08 crore electors. While the Election Commission says the exercise ensures accuracy, political parties have raised concerns over large-scale deletions and potential disenfranchisement. Voters are strongly advised to check their names in the updated electoral roll immediately to avoid issues during the upcoming Assembly elections.
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