SIR draft roll West Bengal 2025: What to do if your name is missing from the voter list

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India has released the SIR draft electoral roll for West Bengal, and voters whose names are missing have a limited window to file claims and corrections.

What is the SIR draft roll and why it matters

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) is a large-scale verification exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India to update electoral rolls. In West Bengal, the process began on November 4, following the schedule announced on October 27. The publication of the draft roll on December 16 marks the end of enumeration and the beginning of the claims and objections phase, which will continue until February 2026.

This stage is crucial as it determines the final voter list ahead of the next Assembly elections.

How many voters are included in the draft roll

According to ECI officials, around 7.08 crore voters are expected to appear in the West Bengal draft rolls out of a total electorate of about 7.66 crore. Nearly 58 lakh names have not been included after booth-level officers reported that these voters were deceased, had permanently shifted, were absent during verification, or were found to be duplicates.

The ECI has also published a separate list of voters deleted from the rolls on its official website.

Where and how to check your name

Voters can check their names in the draft electoral roll through multiple channels:

• Online on the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and District Election Officer (DEO) websites
• Printed copies available with recognised political parties
• Separate online lists showing absent, shifted, deceased or duplicate voters
• Checking the draft roll early is important to avoid last-minute issues.

What to do if your name is missing

If your name does not appear in the draft roll, you can submit a claim during the claims and objections period from December 16, 2025, to January 15, 2026.

Aggrieved voters must:

• Submit Form 6 for inclusion of name
• Attach a Declaration Form
• Provide valid supporting documents such as identity and address proof
• Claims can be filed online or through designated election offices.

Claims, objections and hearings explained

During this phase, voters can:

• Seek inclusion of missing names
• Request corrections in personal details
• Object to wrongful inclusion of names
• The Election Commission will conduct hearings where required before finalising the rolls.

What is progeny mapping and why it is important

ECI officials have said that progeny mapping is the most challenging part of the SIR exercise. It involves linking voters in the 2025 roll with entries from the 2002 electoral roll. Voters are categorised under self-mapping, progeny mapping, or no mapping, helping authorities identify genuine voters and prevent duplication.

SIR status in other states and UTs

The SIR process is being carried out across several states and Union Territories:

West Bengal, Goa, Rajasthan: draft rolls published on December 16

Puducherry and Lakshadweep: draft rolls published on December 16

Kerala: draft roll to be published on December 23

Uttar Pradesh: draft roll expected on December 31

Each state has its own deadlines for enumeration and claims.

Why voters should act quickly

With Assembly elections due in West Bengal early next year, being included in the final electoral roll is essential to exercise voting rights. The Election Commission has clarified that voters who submitted enumeration forms are eligible for inclusion, but timely verification and claims are necessary to correct errors.

Key takeaway for voters

The SIR draft roll is not the final list. Voters who find their names missing or incorrect still have an opportunity to seek correction. Checking the draft roll, filing claims within the deadline, and attending hearings if required will ensure that eligible voters are not excluded from the final electoral rolls.