"1.2 crore names could be deleted in guise of discrepancies", says Mamata on SIR

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has claimed a massive conspiracy to disenfranchise millions of voters. On Wednesday, the Chief Minister claimed that approximately 1 crore 20 lakh names are being targeted for deletion from the electoral rolls under the guise of "logical discrepancies."

Meanwhile, despite clear directions from the Supreme Court of India, uncertainty persists over the number of judicial officers from outside the state who will be deployed in West Bengal for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. As a result, there is still no clarity on when their training will begin.

The Election Commission sources had revealed a sharp rise in the number of voters with faulty or incomplete documentation. The figure, earlier estimated at around 45 lakh, climbed to nearly 60 lakh. According to Election Commission sources, the final voter list is scheduled to be published on February 28. However, voters whose names do not feature in the final list will not be permanently excluded.

Sources said a supplementary voter list will be published within 10 days of the release of the final list, allowing eligible voters left out earlier to be included ahead of the election process. With the 2026 Assembly polls approaching, the Commission is now racing against time to complete the exercise, which is being viewed as critical to ensuring free, fair, and inclusive elections in the state.