Darjeeling district voter count drops to 11.7 lakh after SIR draft roll

DARJEELING,:  The total number of electors in Darjeeling district after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) stands at 11,70,643, as per the draft electoral roll published today. Darjeeling district has five Assembly segments.

The SIR process, which is being conducted in phases across the country, was initiated in West Bengal recently by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure an accurate, updated, and inclusive electoral roll. While the draft roll was published today, the final list is scheduled to be published on February 14, 2026, after further revisions.

According to a press release issued by the district administration today, the total number of electors as of October 27 this year in Darjeeling district – comprising the Assembly segments of Darjeeling, Kurseong, Matigara-Naxalbari, Siliguri and Phansidewa – stood at 12,92,857. The total voters for the Darjeeling Assembly Constituency (AC) in the hills were 2,45,277, while Kurseong AC had 2,41,104 voters.

However, in the draft roll published today, out of the total 11,70,643 voters, Darjeeling AC has 2,19,342 electors, while Kurseong AC has 2,22,710 voters.

As per the revised SIR schedule mentioned in a memo dated December 10, the period for filing claims and objections begins today and will continue until January 15 next year. The final notice phase, which includes issuance, hearings, verification, decisions on Enumeration Forms (EFs), and disposal of claims and objections to be carried out concurrently by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will conclude on February 7, 2026.

Providing a detailed status of the Enumeration Forms filled by voters in the district, the press statement noted that out of the total electors as per the October 27 electoral roll, 4,54,698 electors were self-mapped, while 5,94,586 were mapped as progeny. A total of 1,21,359 electors were digitized with no mapping and 1,22,214 forms were uncollectable.

Among the uncollectable forms, 49,949 belonged to deceased electors, 34,391 to those untraceable or absent, 34,763 to those permanently shifted, 2,589 to those already enrolled elsewhere, and 522 to others whose EF had not been submitted for various reasons.

The district administration also informed the public that polling station-wise lists of absent, shifted, deceased, and duplicate electors are available for public inspection at the notice boards of gram panchayat offices, municipality offices, BDO offices, and the offices of EROs. These lists are also available on the official websites of the Darjeeling district election officer and Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal.

Additionally, electors can search for their names in the draft electoral roll through the Booth Level Officer (BLO), the ECINET mobile app, or voters.eci.gov.in. This facility is also available on the official website of the West Bengal CEO.

“In case a name is not included in the draft electoral roll, applications through Form 6 along with Annexure IV can be submitted to the Booth Level Officer, or applications can be made online through voters.eci.gov.in or the ECINET app,” the press note stated. It added that applications for new inclusion of electors can be made using Form 6, while overseas electors must apply through Form 6A.

The press release further stated that corrections in existing electoral details, shifting from other parts or Assembly Constituencies, and replacement of EPIC in cases of loss or damage can be done using Form 8, while objections to the inclusion of names can be submitted through Form 7. For every application of fresh inclusion or inclusion through shifting from other states, a filled Annexure IV must be attached.

“An appeal against any decision of the ERO may be submitted to the district magistrate within 15 days. A second appeal against the decision of the first appellate authority may be submitted to the CEO within 30 days,” the release stated.