Kolkata: Constituency-wise data released by the Election Commission (EC) after completion of the distribution and submission of enumeration forms shows that Chowringhee in North Kolkata tops the state in electors marked for deletion from the electoral rolls.
Chowringhee has 2,10,246 voters, of whom 74,553 — 35.46 per cent — have been flagged for deletion. The largest category comprises untraceable voters (35,042), followed by those who have shifted (25,053) and deaths (13,742).
Jorasanko ranks second, with 72,900 voters out of 1,97,839 — 36.85 per cent — marked for deletion. Untraceable voters again form the largest segment at 37,193.
An Election Commission official attributed the high untraceable numbers in Central Kolkata constituencies such as Chowringhee and Jorasanko to high urban mobility, a large rental population and outdated addresses.
Other north Kolkata constituencies have also recorded sizeable deletions: Entally 49,084 (20.54 per cent), Beleghata 56,487 (22.42 per cent), Shyampukur 42,303 (24.06 per cent), Maniktala 41,870 (20.05 per cent), and Kashipur–Belgachhia 53,360 (23.96 per cent). North Kolkata has a total electorate of 15,06,339, of which 3,90,557 voters have been marked for deletion.
South Kolkata has also seen significant numbers. Of its 9,07,456 voters, 2,16,207 — 23.83 per cent — have been flagged. Untraceable (70,589) and shifted voters (80,692) together form the bulk of the deletions in the southern part of the city.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Constituency, Bhowanipore, has 2,06,295 registered voters, of whom 44,787 — 21.71 per cent — have been marked for deletion. This includes 19,471 untraceable voters, 10,897 deaths and 12,547 shifted voters, besides duplicate enrolment (1,097) and other reasons (775).
Ballygunge has recorded 65,171 deletions out of 2,55,190 voters (25.54 per cent), Kolkata Port 63,730 (26.18 per cent), and Rashbehari 42,519 (21 per cent).
Citywide, Kolkata has 24,13,795 voters, of whom 6,06,764 — 25.13 per cent — have been marked for deletion. Officials stressed the figures are preliminary. Draft rolls will be published on December 16, after which claims and objections can be filed.
“The Special Intensive Revision aims to remove ineligible names. No deletion is final until claims and objections are heard,” an official in the Chief Electoral Officer’s office said. Across the state, over 58 lakh names have been marked for deletion.