A roll observer checks the published electoral rolls at Kalimpong-I Development Block, on Saturday. (Photo: X/@CEOWestBengal)After a four-month exercise that saw the Election Commission roll out a series of unprecedented steps specific to the state, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee personally challenging the process in the Supreme Court, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal concluded Saturday with an 8% (61 lakh) net decrease in the number of electors and another nearly 8% (60 lakh) names pending adjudication.The final electoral roll published on Saturday had 7.04 crore electors, including the names of 60.06 lakh electors who have been flagged for review by Supreme Court-appointed judicial officers. Until their names are cleared and published in supplementary lists, these 60 lakh electors will not be able to cast their votes. The final roll includes 3,60,22,642 male electors, 3,44,35,260 female electors and 1,382 electors of the third gender.When the SIR started on October 27 last year, West Bengal had 7.66 crore electors, which were reduced to 7.08 crore when the draft list was published in December. The remaining 58 lakh names were deleted after the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) marked them as deceased, shifted/absent or multiple enrolments.West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal told a press conference here Saturday evening that a total of 63,66,952 electors had been deleted, of which 58.20 lakh were deleted in the draft stage and another 5.46 lakh in the final list. Meanwhile, 1,82,036 electors were added under Form 6 and 6A, which is for new enrolments, and 6,671 electors were added to the list under Form 8, which is the form for shifting and correction cases.The CEO also said that 60,06,675 electors, who have been included in the final roll, have been marked as under adjudication.Must Read | West Bengal SIR final voter list out, over 63 lakh names deleted“There are some errors or mistakes (that) happened during the whole SIR process but that was very negligible in terms of this huge process,” he said. Chief electoral officer, West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, addresses a press conference, in Kolkata on Saturday. (Express photo by Partha Paul)“We have some definite cases of irregularities reported so far. We will take stern action on such cases,” he said.Story continues below this adOn the adjudication cases which are pending with the judicial officers, Agarwal said, “Those cases are not in our jurisdiction now. These cases are being reviewed by 501 judicial officers and we are hoping those cases will be disposed of very soon.”Far from a routine revision of electoral rolls, the SIR in West Bengal, in a first, saw the Election Commission deploy thousands of Central government employees as micro-observers to review the decisions taken by the state government officers who are the statutory authority for maintaining rolls, the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant EROs (AEROs). After that, on the orders of the Supreme Court, around 500 judicial officers from Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha have been tasked with deciding whether 60 lakh registered electors who were flagged by the micro-observers, but cleared by the EROs, should be restored to the rolls or deleted.As a result, the final electoral roll is not final in West Bengal as the court has ordered the supplementary lists that are expected in the coming weeks to be treated as part of it. With the EC expected to announce Assembly elections soon, those not cleared by the judicial officers in time may lose their right to vote in these polls.An EC source said: “Final electoral rolls after West Bengal SIR today successfully found 61 lakh doubtful cases. These cases have been sent for adjudication. Only approved cases can be added by way of a supplementary list later.”Story continues below this adMeanwhile, speaking about the law and order situation in the state, CEO Agarwal said: “We have already deployed 240 companies of CAPF and another 240 companies of CAPF will come before March 10. They will assist state police to maintain law and order situation in the state. Once the election is announced, then law and order will be under Election Commission purview but until then, this is under state administration jurisdiction and we are sure the state will maintain that properly.”Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read MoreDamini Nath is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. She covers the housing and urban affairs and Election Commission beats. She has 11 years of experience as a reporter and sub-editor. Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she was a reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau covering culture, social justice, housing and urban affairs and the Election Commission. Expertise Key Coverage Areas: Damini Nath currently specializes in reporting on two crucial beats: Housing and Urban Affairs: Providing in-depth analysis and reporting on India's urban development, policy, and housing issues. Election Commission (EC): Offering authoritative coverage of electoral processes, policies, and the functioning of India's constitutional body responsible for conducting elections. Professional Background: Her extensive experience includes roles as a reporter and sub-editor, demonstrating a comprehensive understanding of the journalistic process from fieldwork to final production. Previous Role: Before joining The Indian Express in 2022, she served as a dedicated reporter with The Hindu’s national bureau, where her reporting portfolio included: Culture Social Justice Housing and Urban Affairs The Election Commission beat (a consistent area of focus). Trustworthiness Damini Nath's decade-plus career at two of India's most respected and authoritative news institutions, The Indian Express and The Hindu, underscores her commitment to factual, impartial, and high-quality reporting, establishing her as a trusted and credible source for news on urban governance and electoral matters. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Special Intensive RevisionWest Bengal