The Election Commission of India (EC) has reported numerous “logical discrepancies” in West Bengal’s electoral roll, including instances of electors being linked to an implausibly high number of children. The findings are part of an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court regarding the conduct of the West Bengal Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
Discrepancies in Electoral Data
The EC found two electors listed with more than 200 children each, seven with over 100 children, ten with more than 50 children, and another ten with more than 40 children. The commission stated that many of these instances are “scientifically impossible to entertain as valid mapping.” “Mapping” refers to the process of linking an elector’s lineage with the 2002 roll.
The EC has decided that cases involving six or more individuals mapped to a single person warrant “greater scrutiny as regards validity of linkage.” A total of 4,59,054 instances were found with electors having more than five children, with 2,06,056 electors listed with more than six children in West Bengal.
Average Family Size Comparison
The EC noted that the average household size in India is 4.4, with most families consisting of two to three children, according to the NFHS-5 survey from 2019-2021. However, some cases in West Bengal show electors linked to over 50 children.
A significant age gap – a 50-year gap between parents and children – has also been flagged as a discrepancy, as the fertility rate for women is negligible after age 45.
Response to Criticism
The EC refuted claims by petitioners that the identification of “logical discrepancies” is a pretext for disenfranchising voters. The commission stated that identifying a discrepancy simply leads to a notice for verification, allowing individuals to clarify the issue or provide supporting documentation.
The EC also denied “field reports” presented by petitioners, including Trinamool Congress party leaders, alleging that affected voters were primarily women and minorities, and that 90% of the discrepancies stemmed from algorithmic failures.
Roll Revision Details
The draft rolls published on December 16, 2025, excluded 58 lakh voters due to absence, death, permanent relocation, or duplicate entries. The EC clarified that these were exclusions, not deletions, and followed a house-to-house survey. Excluded voters will be given an opportunity to be heard.
The SIR was conducted with the assistance of 80,681 BLOs, over 7,000 AEROs, 294 EROs, and more than 4,000 micro-observers. The notice phase began on December 16, 2025, and continues until February 7, 2026.
The EC emphasized that only mappings deemed incorrect or significantly irregular, and not linked to the 2002 electoral roll, will be scrutinized. The commission also defended the use of digital communication methods, such as WhatsApp and video conferencing, for issuing instructions, stating they do not compromise transparency.
The EC opposed the presence of political parties’ Booth Level Agents (BLAs) at verification hearings, arguing that hearings are quasi-judicial and should involve only the concerned individuals. The presence of multiple BLAs, the EC reasoned, could create a chaotic atmosphere.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case on January 21.
Published – January 21, 2026 01:28 pm IST
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