Only 136 voters cleared by Appellate Tribunals ahead of West Bengal’s first-phase Assembly polls, despite 27 lakh disputed cases. Supreme Court directives allow last-minute inclusions, raising concerns over voter disenfranchisement and electoral transparency.
On the eve of the first phase of the high-stakes Assembly elections in West Bengal, a supplementary voters’ list released by the Election Commission of India revealed that only 136 names have been cleared by the first Appellate Tribunal out of a massive pool of disputed entries, raising concerns over the scale and timing of voter verification.
The development comes just one day before polling begins for the first phase, scheduled across 152 Assembly constituencies spanning 16 districts. The supplementary list pertains to cases that were previously flagged for judicial scrutiny following the publication of the final electoral roll on February 28.
Earlier, more than 60 lakh voter names were referred for adjudication under the directive of the Supreme Court of India. A total of 732 judicial officers, including 100 each from neighboring states like Jharkhand and Odisha, were tasked with reviewing these entries. At the conclusion of this process, approximately 27 lakh names were deemed excludable.
These 27 lakh cases were subsequently forwarded to Appellate Tribunals as per the apex court’s instructions. Notably, the Supreme Court had ruled that individuals whose names are cleared by these tribunals—even up to a day before polling—would retain their right to vote.
Following this directive, the 136 individuals whose names appeared in the latest supplementary list will be eligible to cast their votes in the first phase. However, the figure represents only a tiny fraction of the total disputed cases, highlighting the limited progress made by the Appellate Tribunals so far.
Adding to the controversy, sources indicated that two names which had previously been cleared during the judicial adjudication process were later rejected by the Appellate Tribunals. This discrepancy has raised questions regarding consistency and procedural clarity in the multi-layered verification mechanism.
The timing of the update has also drawn attention, as electoral stakeholders grapple with the logistical and legal implications of last-minute inclusions. Political observers note that while the Supreme Court’s directive aims to protect voter rights, the pace of tribunal decisions could leave a large number of individuals disenfranchised, at least for the ongoing election cycle.
For the second phase of polling, scheduled on April 29, the court has similarly permitted that any names cleared by the Appellate Tribunals up to April 28 will be allowed to vote. This provides a narrow window for additional inclusions before the remaining 142 Assembly constituencies go to the polls.
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The Election Commission has maintained that the process is being conducted in strict adherence to judicial guidelines, emphasizing transparency and due diligence. However, critics argue that the scale of the exercise—combined with tight timelines—poses significant challenges to ensuring that all eligible voters are included.
As the state prepares for polling, the issue of voter list accuracy remains a critical factor in determining both participation and the perceived legitimacy of the electoral process. The results of the two-phase election are scheduled to be announced on May 4, setting the stage for a closely watched political contest in one of India’s most significant states.
