The Election Commission of India has taken a crucial step towards the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections by publishing the draft electoral roll. This list, a product of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, will form the foundation of the voter database for the upcoming state polls.
Publication Date and Significance of the Draft Roll
The draft electoral roll for West Bengal was officially made public on December 16, 2025. This document is vital as it determines the eligibility of citizens to cast their vote in the next state elections. The publication follows a one-week extension granted by the Election Commission after a nudge from the Supreme Court, moving the date from the initially planned December 9.
Interestingly, while the EC extended the SIR timeline for five states and one Union Territory earlier this month, West Bengal was not among them, sticking to the revised December 16 deadline.
How to Check Your Name in the Draft Voter List
Voters in West Bengal have multiple avenues to verify their enrollment in the draft electoral roll.
For offline verification:
- Citizens can contact their designated Booth Level Officer (BLO). The draft rolls were made available to BLOs nearly 24 hours prior to public release via a dedicated application for preliminary, booth-wise verification.
- Alternatively, individuals can visit their local block development office to inspect the physical list.
For online verification:
- Use the official Election Commission portal: voters.eci.gov.in.
- Check the websites of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal and the respective District Electoral Officer (DEO).
- Access the list through the E-NET mobile application.
The draft roll includes tabulated entries from enumeration forms and also highlights records of deceased persons, missing voters, and duplicate entries for public scrutiny.
Addressing Discrepancies and the Road Ahead
The SIR exercise has already uncovered significant data inconsistencies. During the revision, mismatches were found for approximately 85 lakh (8.5 million) people concerning their father's name. Furthermore, numerous cases showed age inconsistencies between parents and their children.
To address these and other issues, the Election Commission has established a clear process. A claims and objections period is now open from December 16, 2025, to January 15, 2026. If any discrepancies are found in the draft roll, the poll body will conduct hearings as part of the verification process, which will continue until February 7, 2026.
For assistance, the EC has activated a toll-free helpline number, 1950. Citizens can also visit the official CEO West Bengal website (https://ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in) for the latest updates and detailed information.
The entire revision process is scheduled for completion with the publication of the final electoral roll on February 14, 2026. This gives authorities and citizens a total window of about 60 days to ensure the voter list is accurate and inclusive, setting the stage for a robust democratic exercise in 2026.
