Kolkata, Dec 16 (IANS) The draft voters’ list in West Bengal, marking the end of the first stage of the three-stage Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in the state, was published on Tuesday.
At the same time, the Election Commission has also published a separate list of the excluded voters from the previous list as of October 2005. This includes deceased voters, shifted voters, untraceable voters, duplicate voters, and voters found suitable for exclusion for other reasons.
Voters now have three options to check whether their names are in the draft voters’ list. The first option is to check online by visiting the website “voters.eci.gov.in.” Again, the voter concerned can check whether his or her name is in the draft voters’ list by mentioning the EPIC card number. Similarly, the names of the excluded voters can be checked in the separate list published by the ECI.
Those unable to check online can visit their polling booth, concerned municipal or borough offices, or block development offices and verify their names from the printed lists available there.
The third option is to contact the booth-level officer (BLO) concerned and check with him or her whether the name is included in the draft voters’ list.
The draft voters’ list and the separate list of excluded voters were published around 11.30 a.m., nearly 30 minutes before the scheduled time of 12 noon, as earlier announced by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.
The CEO of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, may conduct a detailed media briefing later in the day to clarify various queries related to the draft voters’ list and the separate list of excluded voters.
The first stage of the three-phase SIR, which began on November 4, ends today with the publication of the draft voters’ list.
The second phase of the SIR will commence soon. This phase will involve the filing of claims and objections, along with the notice phase, including issuance, hearing, verification, and decision on enumeration forms, and disposal of claims and objections. These processes will be carried out concurrently by the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs).
The final voters’ list will be published on February 14, 2026.
In the case of West Bengal, the ECI will, after the publication of the final voters’ list, announce the dates for the Assembly elections scheduled next year.
--IANS
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