The office of West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal on Wednesday, 7 October 2026, issued formal clarifications on the Form-6 voter enrolment process, reaffirming its commitment to function under the supervision and control of the Election Commission of India (ECI) as mandated by the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The clarifications come amid a nationwide controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.

What the CEO's Office Clarified

According to the CEO's office, any eligible voter whose name was left out during the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll can search for their name in the ASDD (Absentee, Shifted, Dead, Deleted) voters list prepared during the exercise. The office has made relevant links available on its platform as well as with District Electoral Officers (DEOs) and district magistrates across the state.

'Any person in this list, may submit Form-6 online or through booth level officer (BLO) for inclusion of his/her name in the electoral roll,' the CEO's office said in a statement. First-time voters attaining the age of 18 years on or before the current date are also eligible to apply for enrolment through the same Form-6 route — either online or via a Booth Level Officer (BLO).

Scale of Deletions Under SIR

In the initial phase of the SIR process, a total of 46 lakh 20 thousand names were identified for deletion from West Bengal's voter rolls. Deletions under the ASDD formula target voters who are absent from their registered address, have shifted residence, are deceased, or have otherwise been removed from the rolls. Voters who find themselves incorrectly listed under ASDD — but remain eligible — now have a formal pathway to seek re-enrolment.

Special Enrolment Drive Across Districts

The CEO's office has already launched a special enrolment drive following detailed consultations with Additional CEOs, Joint CEOs, Deputy CEOs, DEOs, and Additional District Magistrates. Help desks and voter assistance camps are being set up across districts in West Bengal to support both left-out eligible voters and first-time voters seeking enrolment.

Context: The CEC Row

The clarifications arrive against the backdrop of a widening national debate over CEC Gyanesh Kumar, whose appointment and conduct have drawn criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups. Critics argue that the controversy has cast a shadow over institutional trust in the ECI. In this context, the West Bengal CEO's explicit reaffirmation of statutory compliance is being read as an effort to distance the state's electoral machinery from the broader dispute and reassure voters about the integrity of the roll revision process.

With help desks now operational and the online Form-6 portal accessible, affected voters across the state will need to act promptly to ensure their names are restored ahead of any upcoming electoral exercise.