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Bengal Voter List Sees Historic Decline, Women's Numbers Drop More

The final electoral roll for West Bengal shows a total decline of over 2.5 million voters compared to the draft list, marking the first decrease since 2011. Female voters saw a slightly higher decline (3.8%) than male voters (3.5%). The category of other/transgender voters experienced the most significant percentage drop at 10.3%. Analysts attribute this overall reduction to the removal of deceased, duplicate, and shifted voters, which had not kept pace with new registrations in recent years.

Key Points: West Bengal Voter List Decline: Women, Transgender Impact

  • Historic first voter decline since 2011
  • Women voters fell by 3.8% vs men's 3.5%
  • Transgender/other category saw 10.3% drop
  • Decline attributed to cleanup of outdated entries
2 min read

Bengal polls: Women voters' decline slightly higher than men

West Bengal's 2026 voter list shows a historic decline, with female and transgender voters experiencing higher percentage drops than male voters.

"2026 marks the first instance of a decline in the number of voters in the state - Chief Electoral Officer's office"

Kolkata, April 18

The decline in the number of female voters in West Bengal in the current voters' list from that in the draft voters' list is marginally higher than a similar decline in the number of male voters following the completion of the special intensive revision exercise in the state.​

The number of other/transgender voters in the state in the current voters' list compared to the draft voters' list also showed a marginal decline in actual numbers, although the percentage decline in this category is much higher.​

As per statistics provided by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, in the draft voters' list which was published in December last year, the number of female voters was 34,615,837, which has declined to 33,314,628 in the current list, thus witnessing a decline of 1,301,209 in actual numbers and a percentage decline of 3.8.​

On the other hand, as per the same statistics provided by the Chief Electoral Officer's office, in the draft voters' list, the number of male voters was 36,199,391, which has declined to 34,935,123, thus witnessing a decline of 1,264,268 in actual numbers and a percentage decline of 3.5.​

In the draft voters' list, the number of other/transgender voters stood at 1,402, which declined to 1,257 in the current voters' list, resulting in a 145-voter decline and a 10.3 percentage-point decline.​

The total decline across all three categories in the current voters' list relative to the draft voters' list was 2,565,692, or a 3.6 per cent decline.​

As per the statistics of the Chief Electoral Officer's office, 2026 marks the first instance of a decline in the number of voters in the state, following a steep and continuous increase since 2011, the year which marked the conclusion of the 34-year Left Front government and the onset of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress governance in the state.​

Poll analysts feel that the perpetually upward graph in voters' numbers from 2011 to 2024 indicates that while the new and first-time voters kept on getting added to the list, there was no parallel elimination of the "deceased", "shifted", "missing", and "duplicate" voters from the list.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Finally some cleanup of the voter list! The article itself says the increase since 2011 was due to not removing deceased or duplicate voters. This decline is a sign of a more accurate list, not necessarily a bad thing. Better to have a correct list than an inflated one.
A
Aditi M
The 10.3% decline for transgender voters is the most alarming figure here. This community already faces so many hurdles. The Election Commission must proactively ensure their inclusion and make the registration process more accessible and sensitive. Representation matters for everyone.
M
Michael C
Looking at this from a data perspective, a 3.6% overall decline after years of increase suggests a major revision exercise. The key question is *why* the cleanup happened now and not earlier. The timing before elections will inevitably lead to political accusations from all sides.
S
Suresh O
As a citizen, I want a clean voter list. But the process must be transparent. Were people notified before being removed? In our village, sometimes people move for work but their family home remains. They shouldn't lose their voting right. The EC needs to clarify the "shifted" voter process.
K
Kavya N
Respectfully, while cleanup is good, the gender gap in the decline is a point of reflection. In many households, women's voter IDs are linked to their maiden homes or are not updated after marriage. We need family and society to support women in keeping their documents current. It's a shared responsibility.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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