ECI lists tribunal-cleared voters for Bengal phase 1 polls

The Election Commission of India (ECI) issued booth-wise lists of voters whose cases were disposed of by tribunals, clearing them to participate in the first phase of the West Bengal elections, a senior official said on Wednesday.

The ECI published two separate lists on its website — one of voters whose names have been included following tribunal orders and another of those who remain excluded.

However, the total number of additions and deletions is yet to be disclosed. “A comprehensive figure is expected to be available by evening,” the official said.

Voters can access the lists by selecting their Assembly constituency and booth number on the official portal. For booths where no tribunal decisions were made, no names have been listed.

Individuals who approached the tribunal after their names were left out of the rolls can also check their status online using their EPIC numbers.

Those whose names have been included in the latest list will be eligible to vote in the first phase of polling scheduled for Thursday, officials said.

The names of these voters were deleted in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, following which they were given the choice to approach the designated tribunals set up by the Supreme Court.

The SC, invoking its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, had ruled that voters declared eligible by tribunals up to two days before polling would be allowed to cast their votes.

In line with the order, the ECI had been asked to publish the list by April 21, ahead of the first phase of polling for 152 constituencies.

A consolidated electoral roll, incorporating newly added voters, will be issued in the evening and used for the first phase of polling, officials said.

The second phase, covering 142 constituencies, is scheduled for April 29, with another list of eligible voters to be published on April 27 ahead of that round, they said.