West Bengal SIR: ‘Logical discrepancies’ defy science, Election Fee informs Supreme Court docket

The Election Fee (EC) of India mentioned many cases of “logical discrepancies” discovered within the electoral roll of West Bengal defies science.

Two electors have been discovered with greater than 200 youngsters, seven with greater than a 100 youngsters, 10 with greater than 50 youngsters whereas one other 10 with greater than 40.

“Some electors are linked with unusually excessive numbers of youngsters… Many such cases are scientifically inconceivable to entertain as legitimate mapping,” the EC states in an affidavit to the Supreme Court docket on the conduct of the West Bengal Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) train.

‘Mapping’ is the technical time period being utilized by the EC to hyperlink an elector’s lineage with the 2002 roll. The EC mentioned it has determined that instances wherein six or extra have mapped themselves to at least one individual merited “higher scrutiny as regards validity of linkage”.

The EC affidavit reveals that 4,59,054 cases have been discovered with electors having greater than 5 youngsters. The variety of electors with greater than six youngsters are 2,06,056 in West Bengal.

“In 2019-2021, as per the NFHS-5 survey, the common family measurement in India is 4.4. This denotes that on a median, every household consists of two-three youngsters. Nonetheless, in some instances, the variety of electors linked to at least one guardian is greater than 50,” the EC, represented by senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi and advocate Eklavya Dwivedi, famous.

A 50-year hole between mother and father and kids have additionally been flagged as a logical discrepancy. The EC reasoned that the fertility price for girls turns into negligible after 45 years of age.

The EC vehemently objected to criticism by petitioners that “logical discrepancies” was simply one other new class discovered to disenfranchise electors.

“Discovery of a logical discrepancy merely results in issuance of discover for the needs of verification. The notices must make clear the discrepancy and/or produce vital paperwork to the satisfaction of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO).

The EC denied “discipline studies” claimed by petitioners, together with Trinamool Congress get together leaders akin to Dola Sen, that affected voters have been ladies electors and minorities and that 90% of the instances have been relatable to “failure of the algorithm”.

The affidavit detailed that draft rolls printed on December 16, 2025 noticed the exclusion of 58 lakh voters on account of their absence, dying, everlasting shifting of bizarre residence and duplication of entries. The EC mentioned these exclusions ought not be thought of as “deletions”.

The ballot physique mentioned “non-inclusion” within the draft roll was preceded by house-to-house survey. These excluded could be given a chance of hearings. There have been no “centralised software-based deletions from the electoral roll”.

The SIR was performed with the help of 80681 BLOs, 7000+ AEROs, 294 EROs and 4000+ micro-observers in West Bengal. The discover section had began on December 16, 2025 and would proceed until February 7, 2026.

“The linkage with earlier SIR electoral rolls is completed manually to make sure that all electors having linkage with the earlier SIR electoral rolls are segregated for inclusion within the ultimate electoral roll. Those that can’t be linked are issued notices. Upon issuance of discover, in case the elector has been erroneously not noted, she or he can furnish the extract of linkage with the earlier electoral roll, and in that occasion, his or her identify is certain to be included within the ultimate electoral roll,” the EC clarified.

The EC underscored that solely mappings discovered to be incorrect or affected by grave irregularities and never linked to electoral roll of 2002 could be scrutinised.

The EC additional clarified that WhatsApping directions or conveying them by means of video-conferencing was undeniably a speedy technique of communication.

“Nothing exhibiting that directions issued by means of digital mode are in battle with SIR,” the EC mentioned, countering submissions that such practices dented transparency. The EC strongly objected to the presence of political events’ Sales space Stage Brokers (BLAs) on the verification hearings earlier than the BLAs.

“Hearings are quasi-judicial and just for the individuals involved. Presence of BLAs within the hearings could be obstructive and the listening to course of could be delayed unnecessarily. There are six nationwide events and two State events in West Bengal… Presence of eight BLAs within the listening to between the ERO and the possible elector would flip chaotic, contemplating the charged ambiance,” the EC reasoned.

The Supreme Court docket is scheduled to listen to the case on January 21.