What Happened
- Around 13 lakh names have been deleted from West Bengal's electoral rolls through the adjudication process, representing approximately 40% of the 32 lakh cases resolved so far out of a total 60 lakh cases under adjudication.
- The Election Commission of India (ECI) deployed 705 judicial officers (rank of District Judge or Additional District Judge) to hear claims and objections arising from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
- Combined with approximately 63 lakh names deleted during the main SIR exercise, the total number of deletions has risen to nearly 76 lakh — roughly 9-10% of West Bengal's electorate.
- Around 28 lakh adjudication cases remain unresolved, with West Bengal assembly elections scheduled for April 23 and April 29 — leaving little time for judicial officers to process all pending claims.
- The first supplementary voters' list was published, but the poll panel did not clarify the precise figures, leading to political controversy, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticising the ECI for alleged mass disenfranchisement.
Static Topic Bridges
Election Commission of India — Constitutional Powers and Electoral Roll Revision
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is a constitutional body established under Article 324 of the Constitution, which vests in it the superintendence, direction, and control of the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to Parliament, state legislatures, and the offices of President and Vice President. The Representation of the People Act, 1950 governs the preparation and revision of electoral rolls. Section 21(3) of the RPA, 1950 empowers the ECI to direct a revision of rolls in any constituency if it deems fit. Electoral rolls are maintained as per the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 — which prescribe the procedure for addition, deletion, and correction of entries.
- Article 324: ECI has plenary power over elections — superintendence, direction, control
- RPA, 1950, Section 21(3): ECI can direct revision of rolls in any constituency
- Registration of Electors Rules, 1960: Prescribe form and procedure for roll updates
- Electoral Roll Officers (EROs): Designated officer in each constituency responsible for maintaining rolls
- Claims and objections: Any person can object to inclusion/exclusion under Forms 6, 7, 8 of the Registration of Electors Rules
Connection to this news: The SIR exercise and adjudication mechanism are tools ECI uses under its Article 324 authority — the Supreme Court's direction to deploy District Judge-level officers for adjudication further legitimised the process judicially.
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) — Purpose, Process, and Legal Basis
A Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is an extraordinary measure undertaken when the ECI determines that normal summary revision is insufficient to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls. Unlike summary revisions (done annually, where electors submit claims/objections), an SIR involves door-to-door enumeration — field officers visit every household to verify the existence and eligibility of registered voters. Deletions are triggered when forms are not returned and field verification establishes that the voter is deceased, absent, shifted, or otherwise ineligible. The SIR in West Bengal — the first since 2002 — was ordered given concerns about large-scale irregularities, migration patterns, and alleged infiltration.
- SIR authority: Article 324 + Section 21 RPA, 1950 + Registration of Electors Rules, 1960
- Enumeration forms: If a form is not returned and field verification supports deletion, the name is flagged
- "Under adjudication" status: Cases where the ERO has doubts and refers to judicial officers
- SIR triggers: Rapid urbanisation, migration, unreported deaths, concerns about foreign illegal immigrants
- West Bengal SIR: First since 2002; led by ECI; 1.67 crore electors heard; 1.36 crore flagged for logical discrepancies
- Supreme Court order: Directed deployment of District Judge/Additional District Judge-level officers for adjudication; also allowed judges from Odisha and Jharkhand
Connection to this news: The 60 lakh "under adjudication" cases are a direct output of the SIR — voters flagged where field verification was inconclusive, now requiring quasi-judicial determination before the April 2026 elections.
Voter Rights and Disenfranchisement — Article 326 and the Right to Vote
Article 326 of the Constitution provides that elections to the House of the People and to Legislative Assemblies shall be on the basis of adult suffrage — every citizen who is not less than 18 years of age and not otherwise disqualified shall be entitled to vote. The right to vote, while not a fundamental right, is a statutory right (under Section 62 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951) and a constitutional right under Article 326. The Supreme Court in PUCL v. Union of India (2003) recognised the right to vote as essential to democratic governance, though it stopped short of declaring it a fundamental right under Part III.
- Article 326: Universal adult franchise — 18 years minimum age (lowered from 21 by 61st Amendment, 1988)
- Section 62, RPA 1951: Statutory right to vote — qualifications and disqualifications specified
- Disqualifications: Non-citizenship, mental incapacity, electoral offences (Section 11A RPA 1951)
- PUCL v. Union of India (2003): Right to vote is a constitutional right; right to know candidates' backgrounds also recognised
- Due process for deletion: Electors must be served notice before deletion; adjudication provides a hearing mechanism
- Appellate remedy: SC directed formation of Appellate Tribunal (former HC judges) for appeals against exclusions
Connection to this news: The 28 lakh pending adjudication cases represent voters whose Article 326 rights hang in the balance — unresolved before election day means they may either vote (if retained by default) or be excluded, raising fundamental fairness concerns.
Model Code of Conduct and ECI's Authority Before Elections
The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) comes into force from the date of election announcement and operates until the completion of the election process. Once MCC is in force, the ECI assumes de facto executive authority over matters affecting the election in the notified states. Electoral roll revision is an administrative function that precedes MCC; however, the supplementary lists post-SIR are being published even as elections approach — making the timing politically sensitive. The Supreme Court's direct supervisory role (monitoring adjudication through directions for judge deployment) signals that voter roll integrity is treated as a constitutional matter, not merely an administrative one.
- MCC: Not a statutory instrument but has been upheld by courts as binding under Article 324 authority
- ECI's quasi-judicial power: Can decide election disputes at the administrative stage; separate from Election Petitions (which go to High Courts under Section 80 RPA 1951)
- Appellate Tribunal (SC-directed): Former HC Chief Justices/Judges to hear roll-related appeals
- Section 100, RPA 1951: Grounds for setting aside an election — includes improper acceptance/rejection of nomination; tampering with voter rolls can be a ground
- Publication of supplementary lists: Done in phases; final roll published before election notification
Connection to this news: The race to resolve 28 lakh pending adjudication cases before April 23, when voting begins, tests the ECI's capacity to uphold Article 326's guarantee of universal adult franchise — with a looming risk that administrative delays translate into effective disenfranchisement.
Key Facts & Data
- Total "under adjudication" cases: ~60 lakh; ~32 lakh resolved; ~28 lakh pending
- Deletions via adjudication: ~13 lakh (40% of resolved cases)
- Total deletions (SIR + adjudication): ~76 lakh (~9-10% of West Bengal electorate)
- SIR scope: 1.67 crore electors heard; first SIR in West Bengal since 2002
- Judicial officers deployed: 705 (District Judge / Additional District Judge rank); additional officers from Odisha and Jharkhand (SC-directed)
- West Bengal election dates: April 23 and April 29, 2026
- Article 324: Constitutional basis for ECI's plenary election authority
- Article 326: Universal adult suffrage — all citizens 18+ entitled to vote
- 61st Constitutional Amendment (1988): Lowered voting age from 21 to 18
- Appellate Tribunal: Constituted by SC order — former HC Chief Justices/judges to hear appeals against exclusions
- Political controversy: CM Mamata Banerjee accused ECI of mass disenfranchisement