West Bengal voter enrolment drive: CEO launches campaign across all 24 districts
Synopsis
West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer has rolled out a statewide voter enrolment drive across all 24 districts, targeting citizens dropped from rolls and first-time voters turning 18. The campaign, launched on ECI orders, arrives amid a broader national controversy over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar — making the CEO's public reaffirmation of institutional compliance as notable as the drive itself.
Key Takeaways
West Bengal CEO launched a voter enrolment campaign on 12 October 2026 on directions from the Election Commission of India (ECI) .
All 24 district magistrates-cum-district electoral officers across the state are conducting special camps.
The drive targets two groups: deleted eligible voters and first-time voters aged 18 and above .
Eligible citizens can apply using Form-6 online or through a local booth-level officer (BLO) .
The CEO's office previously issued a formal clarification affirming its commitment to ECI supervision amid the national controversy over CEC Gyanesh Kumar .
Voters can check the ASDD (absentee, shifted, dead, deleted) list from SIR 2026 to verify if their name was removed.
West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Monday, 12 October 2026, announced that all 24 district magistrates (DMs)-cum-district electoral officers (DEOs) across the state have launched a proactive campaign to enrol deleted eligible voters and new or first-time voters onto the electoral rolls, acting on directions from the Election Commission of India (ECI). The drive is designed to ensure no eligible elector is excluded from voter lists ahead of future polls.
Scope of the Campaign
Special camps are being held across West Bengal to facilitate enrolment. The CEO's office has confirmed that the exercise covers two distinct categories: voters whose names were previously deleted from the rolls despite their eligibility, and young or first-time voters who have attained the age of 18 years. Both categories can apply through Form-6, either online or via their local booth-level officer (BLO).
The CEO's office also shared photographs and videos of the ongoing camps on its official social media handles, providing citizens with visual confirmation of the drive's reach across the state.
Who to Contact for Grievances
Citizens with complaints or queries have been advised to approach the concerned booth-level officer (BLO), assistant electoral registration officer (AERO), electoral registration officer (ERO), or the DEO-cum-DM of their respective district. The CEO's office has also provided links to the list of ASDD (absentee, shifted, dead, deleted) voters compiled during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), 2026, enabling individuals to verify whether their names appear in that list before applying for reinstatement.
Context: Nationwide Controversy Over the CEC
The campaign comes in the backdrop of a nationwide controversy surrounding Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. Last week, the CEO's office, West Bengal, issued a formal clarification reaffirming its commitment to function under the supervision and control of the ECI, in accordance with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, as it pertains to updating electoral rolls. The clarification was seen as an effort to signal institutional independence and procedural adherence amid the broader political debate over the ECI's functioning.
What Eligible Voters Must Do
Any person who finds their name in the ASDD list from the SIR 2026 exercise can submit Form-6 for inclusion in the electoral roll. First-time voters who have turned 18 on or before the date of application are similarly eligible to apply. Both offline and online pathways are available. 'We are committed to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded from the voter list,' the CEO's office said in a statement.
The drive is expected to continue until the updated rolls are finalised, with district-level camps serving as the primary interface for citizens across all 24 districts of the state.
Point of View
Arriving alongside a formal public clarification from the CEO's office about its loyalty to ECI oversight — a signal that the national political controversy over CEC Gyanesh Kumar has generated institutional anxiety even at the state level. The inclusion of ASDD list guidance is procedurally sound, but the ECI and state machinery have yet to address why eligible voters were deleted in the first place. The real accountability question is not how people re-enrol — it is how they were removed. Until deletion audit trails are publicly available, citizen trust in roll accuracy will remain fragile.
NationPress
12 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the voter enrolment campaign launched by the West Bengal CEO?
It is a statewide drive launched on 12 October 2026, directed by the Election Commission of India, under which all 24 district electoral officers are holding special camps to re-enrol deleted eligible voters and register first-time voters. Citizens can apply using Form-6 online or through their local booth-level officer.
Who is eligible to apply under this West Bengal voter enrolment drive?
Two categories of citizens are eligible: those whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls despite being eligible to vote, and young or first-time voters who have attained the age of 18 years on or before the date of application. Both groups must submit Form-6 to be included in the electoral roll.
How can a deleted voter check if their name was removed from the West Bengal electoral roll?
Deleted voters can search for their name in the ASDD (absentee, shifted, dead, deleted) list prepared during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) 2026. The CEO's office and district electoral officers have made links to this list available. If found, they can submit Form-6 for reinstatement.
Why did the West Bengal CEO's office issue a clarification about ECI supervision?
Last week, amid a nationwide controversy over Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the CEO's office publicly reaffirmed that it operates under the supervision and control of the ECI as per the Representation of the People Act, 1950. The clarification was intended to signal procedural compliance and institutional independence during a politically sensitive period.
Who should voters contact if they have complaints about the voter enrolment process?
Voters with grievances can contact their booth-level officer (BLO), assistant electoral registration officer (AERO), electoral registration officer (ERO), or the district magistrate-cum-district electoral officer of their district. The CEO's office has provided district-level contact information for this purpose.
