Fate of 27 lakh + names in limbo after voter list freeze
The Statesman | 8 April 2026
The voter list for the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026 was frozen at midnight on Monday, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal had announced on Monday evening.
With the freezing of the list for the first phase of the election, the fate of 27,16,393 individuals removed from the list hangs in limbo.
“The voters’ list for the first phase of the election will be frozen today midnight. If the voter’s name is cleared by the tribunal they will be included in the list and they can give their votes later but not in this election,” Agarwal said in a press conference on Monday.
According to the Election Commission of India, nearly 60 lakh voter names were ‘under consideration’ during the revision process of which the judicial officers have cleared 59,84,512 cases.
According to election commission data released on Monday late night a total of 60,06,675 individuals were taken up for adjudication across the state. Of these, 32,68,119 individuals, accounting for 54.4 per cent, were found eligible and retained in the electoral rolls, while 27,16,393 individuals, or 45.2 per cent, were declared not eligible and consequently removed.
However, affected individuals will have the option to appeal before tribunals but even if their names figure out in the list, they will not be considered for the first phase of the election
However, uncertainty persists over when tribunals will become fully functional for the general public.
Acting on directions from the Supreme Court of India, tribunals have already heard five cases.
However, out of the 19 tribunals proposed, infrastructure for only six has been set up so far, raising concerns about accessibility and timelines.
The Commission noted that the Supreme Court had directed a tribunal committee to prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP).
Officials indicated that by the time the SOP is finalised, infrastructure for the remaining 13 tribunals is expected to be ready.
Still, no clear timeline has been provided on when hearings for the general public will commence.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court also mandated a uniform procedure for all 19 appellate tribunals.
It directed the Chief Justice of the Kolkata High Court to constitute a committee comprising three former senior Chief Justices or judges.
This committee will establish a common framework to be followed by all tribunals.
The Chief Justice further observed that tribunals would examine all documents, including reasoned orders passed by judicial officers, before arriving at decisions.
However, the method of decision-making must remain uniform, as prescribed by the committee. The court expressed hope that the process would be finalised by Tuesday to expedite disposal of appeals.
Additionally, it was clarified that the guidelines framed by the High Court committee would be binding on all 19 tribunals.
To ensure transparency, authorities have also been directed to issue receipts from district magistrates’ offices for offline appeal submissions.
Meanwhile, ensuring peaceful elections remains the primary challenge for the Commission.
Agarwal said he would personally visit sensitive areas across the state, particularly those that witnessed post-poll violence in previous elections.
Referring to the 2021 violence in Nandigram, he noted that such areas would receive special attention this time as well.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to conducting free, fair, and peaceful elections across West Bengal.