Key Points
- 44,787 voters deleted from Bhawanipur electoral roll, representing 21.7% of total electorate
- Draft roll shows 161,509 voters, down from 206,295 recorded in January 2025
- TMC alleges legitimate voters falsely marked as deceased, shifted, or absent
- Special focus on minority-dominated Ward 77 and wards 70, 72
- Party launches “May I Help You” camps to assist affected voters
- Bhawanipur has a significant population from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha
The political landscape in Bhawanipur, the prestigious assembly constituency represented by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has been shaken by a controversial electoral roll revision that eliminated nearly 45,000 voter names. The Special Electoral Roll Revision (SIR) campaign has reduced the constituency’s voter count from 206,295 in January 2025 to just 161,509 in the latest draft roll, representing a staggering 21.7% reduction in the electorate.
According to official data accessed by party sources, precisely 44,787 voters have been struck off the rolls, triggering immediate and strong reactions from the ruling Trinamool Congress. The scale of deletion in a high-profile constituency like Bhawanipur has raised serious questions about the methodology and verification processes employed by election authorities, especially given the area’s political significance as the Chief Minister’s own constituency.
TMC Cries Foul, Alleges Systematic Targeting
The Trinamool Congress leadership has expressed deep displeasure over what it terms a “massive and unjustified” removal of voters from the electoral list. Party officials claim that a substantial number of legitimate, active voters have been arbitrarily categorized under false pretexts, such as deceased, permanently shifted, or absent without proper verification.
Senior TMC leaders argue that the deletion exercise appears to disproportionately affect certain demographic groups and specific localities within the constituency. The party contends that many of those removed are genuine residents who have been living in Bhawanipur for years and have consistently participated in previous elections. This alleged targeting has prompted the party to mobilize its entire organizational machinery to challenge the deletions.
Door-to-Door Verification Campaign Launched
In response to the large-scale deletions, local TMC leaders convened an urgent meeting in Bhawanipur and issued clear directives to booth-level agents (BLAs). The party has ordered comprehensive door-to-door verification of all 44,787 deleted names to ensure no legitimate voter is disenfranchised. The leadership has mandated physical verification of every single case, emphasizing that under no circumstances should a genuine voter’s name be removed.
Booth-level agents have been instructed to visit each affected household, collect supporting documents, and prepare detailed reports for the claims and objections process. The party has set internal deadlines for completing this massive verification exercise before the Election Commission begins hearing objections. This grassroots mobilization demonstrates the TMC’s determination to protect its voter base in a constituency that holds symbolic importance for the party’s supremo.
Minority-Dominated Areas Under Special Scrutiny
The Bhawanipur assembly constituency encompasses several wards of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, specifically wards 63, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 77, and 82. Party sources have revealed that wards 70, 72, and 77 have experienced particularly high numbers of deletions, raising concerns about selective targeting.
Ward 77, identified as a minority-dominated area, has been marked for special attention during the verification process. The concentration of deletions in this ward has intensified TMC’s suspicions about the revision exercise’s intent. Additionally, Bhawanipur’s demographic composition includes a significant number of residents originally from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha, many of whom live in rented accommodations and may lack traditional proof-of-residence documents, making them vulnerable to deletion.
“May I Help You” Camps to Assist Affected Voters
To support disenfranchised voters, the TMC has activated its neighborhood-level assistance mechanism through “May I Help You” camps. These camps, operational at the ward level, provide guidance and assistance to people whose names have been removed from the voter list. Trained volunteers help affected individuals complete necessary documentation and file objections with the Election Commission.
The party has also arranged for door-to-door assistance for elderly or disabled voters who cannot visit the camps. Volunteers are helping residents gather required documents such as ration cards, electricity bills, and other proof of residence to substantiate their claims. This proactive approach aims to ensure maximum participation in the claims process and restore legitimate voters to the electoral roll before the final publication.
Electoral Implications and Political Significance
Bhawanipur holds immense political importance as Mamata Banerjee’s home constituency, making any electoral irregularities particularly sensitive. The constituency has historically been a TMC stronghold, and the party views the mass deletion as a potential attempt to weaken its electoral base ahead of future elections. The controversy has already drawn attention from state-level party leadership, with expectations that senior TMC functionaries may intervene directly with Election Commission officials.
The timing of this revision, coupled with the scale of deletions, has transformed a routine electoral roll update into a major political issue. Opposition parties have remained relatively quiet on the matter, possibly waiting to see how the TMC’s verification campaign unfolds. The outcome of this dispute could set precedents for how voter list revisions are handled across other constituencies in West Bengal.
