First supplementary list out in Bengal, but no clarity on number of deleted voters
Names adjudicated by judicial officers published but figures of voters included or deleted still awaited; more lists to follow before April polls
The Election Commission (EC) has published the first supplementary list of voters after SIR in poll-bound West Bengal, but it is yet to disclose the number of voters whose names have been included or deleted.
The booth-wise first supplementary voters’ list was published on the EC website around midnight Monday (March 23).
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Tuesday (March 24) said that even he would not be able to provide clarity on the figures at this stage.
"I do not have any figures at the moment and cannot say how many names have been deleted. The process is still underway," he said.
Around 60 lakh names were marked as “under adjudication” in the final voters’ list published on February 28. Following that, 705 judicial officers were engaged to determine whether these names would be retained or deleted from the electoral roll, in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court.
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Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal had said on Monday evening that around 29 lakh names have been adjudicated so far. The supplementary list contains the names of voters whose cases have been adjudicated by the judicial officers.
More lists to come
An official at the CEO’s office said the total number of voters, whose names have been included or deleted in the first supplementary list, will be issued soon. More lists will be published as the adjudication process progresses, he said.
Voters were asked to check their status by downloading booth-level lists. However, many reported difficulties in accessing the data.
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Voters whose names have been deleted will have the option to appeal before designated tribunals within 15 days. Security has been tightened across the state in view of the publication of the list.
Polling for the 294-member assembly in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4.
(With agency inputs)