The Election Commission of India has received 70,000-odd applications from Bengal in the past week for inclusion of names in the electoral rolls, prompting the poll panel to scan each form thoroughly, as such a large number of pleas in a short time is unusual.
The development assumes significance as the Nirvachan Sadan had already hinted that a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would be carried out in Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
All Opposition parties, including the Trinamool Congress, opposed the SIR initiative by the EC.
"During the summary roll revision that starts in October every year, the poll panel usually receives applications from nearly 2.5 lakh people from Bengal for the inclusion of their names in the electoral roll, though one can also apply to include his or her name online throughout the year. The number of applications received before the summary revision is high, as only about 2,000 to 3,000 applications are received in a month across the state when summary revision of rolls is not carried out," said a source on the poll panel.
Sources said that, as a huge number of applications had been received soon after political parties had started agitating against the SIR, which was nearing completion in poll-bound Bihar, the poll panel would try to find out the reason behind the sudden rise in applications.
"It is normal that people attaining the age of 18 would apply to get their names included in the electoral rolls. If people in their 30s and above are found to be applying to include their names in the voters' list, it is something that should be checked thoroughly," said a source.
Sources on the poll panel said it could be that the row over the SIR had panicked some people after the word spread that lakhs of voters might be disenfranchised in Bihar following the intensive revision.
"This could be the reason that those who attained the age of 18 years did not wait for the regular summary revision of electoral rolls. Instead, they want their names to be included ahead of the SIR that could start in August in Bengal," said an official.
While acknowledging that youths attaining 18 years of age might have applied now, senior bureaucrats said most of the applications were from bordering districts of the state.
"Districts like North Dunajpur, South Dunajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia and North 24-Parganas topped the list in terms of submission of Form 6, which one needs to fill in to get enlisted in the electoral roll. Now, it will be checked how many applications are from those who attained 18 years of age," said a source.
If it is found that many of the applicants are in the age group of 30s and above, the EC is likely to verify all those applications very carefully.
"The process will be simple. The officials will check if the parents of the applicants are listed on the voter list. Also, their documents will be verified before including their names in the list. This has to be done as complaints have already come up that many have already included their names in the electoral roll based on fake or forged identity cards like Aadhaar," said another official.
Once a person applies for the inclusion of his/her name in the voters' list, the booth-level officer submits a report to the electoral registration officers or assistant electoral registration officers, who are usually BDOs and SDOs. Based on the verification report of the BLO, the applicant's name is included in the draft list.
Thereafter, claims and objections can be submitted against the inclusion. After holding a hearing on the objections and claims, the names are finally included in the voters' list.
"But this process might get complicated to some extent as the EC might verify documents of the applicants who did not apply for inclusion of names even though they had attained 18 years of age a few years ago," said a source.