West Bengal’s SIR hearing phase ends with 4.98 lakh additional voters identified for deletion; final electoral roll to be published on February 28.

The hearing stage of West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls concluded on Saturday, with officials identifying 4.98 lakh additional voters for potential removal from the final list. These names belong to individuals who did not attend scheduled hearings despite receiving notices, according to sources in the Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office.

Until Friday evening, absentee figures had stood at 6.25 lakh. However, a surge in attendance on the final day with over one lakh voters appearing before authorities brought the number down to 4.98 lakh.

Earlier in the revision process, more than 58 lakh entries including deceased, duplicate and shifted voters were excluded from the draft roll published in December. The newly identified names will be added to that tally, though the definitive figure will emerge only after the publication of the final electoral roll on February 28.

Officials said scrutiny of documents submitted by those who attended hearings will continue until February 21. Any applications backed by invalid or unverifiable documents could also face rejection during this review phase.

District-wise data suggests that North 24 Parganas recorded the highest number of absentees, followed by South 24 Parganas and Kolkata (Dakshin), while Kalimpong reported the lowest.

A full bench of the Election Commission of India is expected to visit the state shortly after the final list is released to assess the post-revision situation. Discussions on the schedule for the upcoming Assembly elections are likely to follow, with the state’s Chief Electoral Officer reportedly recommending a single-phase poll, though the final call rests with the Commission.

Observers note that large-scale deletions inevitably raise both administrative and political sensitivities. For voters, verifying their status well before polling dates remains essential to avoid last-minute complications. As the revision process nears completion, transparency and clear communication will be critical to sustaining public confidence in the electoral roll.