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34% of Voters Excluded After Judicial Review in West Bengal

Judicial officers in West Bengal have completed adjudication for 25% of the 60 lakh voters flagged with "logical discrepancies," finding 34% of those reviewed to be excludable from the voters' list. This brings the total number of excluded voters to 63 lakh, adding to the 59 lakh names removed in the draft list published last December. The Election Commission of India, led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, has expressed confidence the process will be completed before the crucial Assembly elections. Supplementary lists will be published per Supreme Court directives as the judicial work progresses.

Key Points: 34% Voters Excluded in Bengal Judicial Adjudication

  • 34% of reviewed voters excluded
  • 60 lakh cases under judicial adjudication
  • 63 lakh total voters excluded so far
  • Supplementary list expected next week
3 min read

Almost 34 pc of voters whose judicial adjudication had been completed so far, found excludable

Over 5 lakh voters excluded after judicial review in West Bengal's electoral roll cleanup. 63 lakh total excluded ahead of Assembly polls.

"a little over five lakh cases have been identified as excludable - CEO Office Insider"

Kolkata, March 14

The Judicial Officers involved in the process of judicial adjudication of the voters classified under the "logical discrepancy" category have been able to complete the process for 25 per cent of the voters referred for judicial arbitration till Friday night.

Out of this, 34 per cent of the cases for which the process of judicial adjudication has been completed have been found excludable from the voters' list till this time.

"A total of little over 60 lakh cases were identified under the "logical discrepancy" category and were hence referred for judicial adjudication. Out of the 60 lakh cases, the process of judicial adjudication had been completed for 15 lakh cases till Friday night, which is 25 per cent of the total cases referred for judicial adjudication.

"Again, out of those 15 lakh cases, a little over five lakh cases have been identified as excludable, which is roughly around 34 per cent of the cases for which the process of judicial adjudication has been completed so far," said an insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

This means that the total number of excluded voters till Friday night reached 63 lakh, while 59 lakh names under "deceased" "shifted", "duplicate", and "missing" categories have already been excluded in the draft voters' list which was published in December last year.

The voters who will be excluded will have the opportunity to approach the Appellate Tribunal, as per the latest order of the Supreme Court.

According to him, considering that a total of 732 judicial officers, including 100 each from neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha, are working day and night to complete the judicial process at the earliest, the work for the same is going on at a satisfactory pace.

"In all probability, the first supplementary list on his count might be announced next week," the CEO's office insider said.

Last week, the full Bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) headed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, was in Kolkata. Speaking to media persons, Kumar also expressed confidence that the judicial adjudication process will be completed before the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal later this year, and each eligible voter will be able to cast his or her vote in those polls.

The final voters' list in West Bengal, minus those 60 lakh cases referred for judicial adjudication, was published on February 28. As per the direction of the Supreme Court, supplementary lists will be published according to the progress of the judicial adjudication.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
The numbers are staggering - 60 lakh cases! While cleaning the list is important, I hope genuine voters aren't caught in this net and disenfranchised. The right to appeal to the Tribunal is a good safeguard. The EC must ensure no eligible citizen is left out.
R
Rohit P
Finally some action on bogus voters! This has been a long-standing issue in many states. 34% exclusion rate proves the scale of the problem. Kudos to the judicial officers working day and night. Hope other states follow this rigorous process. 🇮🇳
P
Priya S
My concern is for the ordinary people. What is a "logical discrepancy"? The process seems complex. Many elderly or less-educated voters might get confused if they receive a notice. The administration should run awareness campaigns alongside this legal process.
M
Michael C
Respectfully, while the intent is good, the timing is always suspect before elections. This creates uncertainty. Why wasn't this continuous process done over the last 5 years? Now it feels rushed. The credibility of the final list is paramount for fair polls.
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Nisha Z
Good step. A clean voter list is the foundation of a strong democracy. The involvement of officers from Jharkhand and Odisha adds an impartial layer. Hope the supplementary lists are published promptly so people can check their status. Jai Hind!

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