Up to 2 crore voters may have to appear in hearing
Times of India | 13 December 2025
Kolkata: Around 30 lakh Bengal voters whose enumeration forms did not map with the last SIR roll of any state/UT, including Bengal's 2002 SIR roll, will be called for a hearing after Dec 16. In addition, close to 1.6 crore applicants, whose SIR forms are riddled with mistakes and illogical claims, may also be called for a hearing.
The EC's latest data on Friday shows 30,59,273 voters in Bengal have no mapping with the last SIR roll of any state/UT.
As per the EC's figure, Kolkata Port, Bhabanipur, Rashbehari, and Ballygunge assembly constituencies (under Kolkata South LS constituency) collectively have the highest percentage of unmapped voters at 11.5%. Kolkata North and Darjeeling LS constituencies come second and third with 9.2% and 9% of unmapped electors, respectively.
Among border districts, North 24 Parganas tops the list with 8.8% of total 83 lakh voters unmapped. In South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Malda, South Dinajpur, and Cooch Behar, the percentage is 3.8%, 6.1%, 2%, 1.8%, 5.4%, and 2.6%, respectively.
"This 4% of Bengal's total voters will have to appear in a hearing before the ERO/AERO, and the number will go up as the applicants who have given a relative's name other than parental linkage in the forms will also be called for hearing," a senior EC official said, adding that a significant percentage of progeny mapping applicants may also get notices.
Experts predicted that a significantly high percentage of electors with no mapping would be found in these seven districts sharing a border with Bangladesh. On the other hand, an urban centre like Kolkata was also found with higher percentage of unmapped voters.
Assembly constituencies in North Bengal like Darjeeling, Matigara-Naxalbari, and Siliguri in Darjeeling LS constituency have 12.2%, 11%, and 9.4% unmapped voters. This figure is highest (almost 10%) in the Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly segment in Jalpaiguri. In Cooch Behar, the unmapped percentage did not cross 4% in any of the nine Assembly constituencies. In South Dinajpur, Tapan Assembly constituency has the highest percentage of unmapped electors at 8.7%. In Malda, Gazole Assembly constituency has 4.4% unmapped voters, which is the highest among 12 assembly seats in the district.
Among 22 Assembly constituencies in Murshidabad, Kandi is at the top with 8.9% of unmapped voters. In Nadia, Kalyani tops the list with 11.9% unmapped voters. In North 24 Parganas, Assembly segments like Bagda, Bangaon Uttar, Bangaon Dakshin, and Gaighata have 12.7%, 11.3%, 10.8%, and 14.5% unmapped voters, respectively. In Bidhannagar and Dum Dum, these percentages are 14.5% and 13.2%.
Among 31 ACs under DEO, South 24 Parganas, Tollygunge tops the list with 10.8% unmapped voters. In Kolkata South and Kolkata North, Rashbehari and Chowringhee have 13% and 10.7% voters who have no mapping with last SIR roll. In Bally AC, 17.8% voters have been found unmapped.