West Bengal SIR: Unusual patterns in deleted electors list

In West Bengal, like in Tamil Nadu and Bihar, more women than men were deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, an analysis of polling station-level data shows. While 58 lakh electors were deleted from the elector list, this analysis is based on the 56 lakh deleted electors for whom polling station-level data were available on the Chief Electoral Officer’s website.

Nearly 4 lakh more women were deleted than men in the State, analysis shows. Notably, in over 850 polling stations, over 75% of those deleted were women, which hints at gender-bias in deletions. Seven other such anomalies were seen in West Bengal’s deleted rolls data when analysed at the polling-station level. From excessive deletions to unusually high young deaths, here some of the key findings:

• 17 stations show unusually high proportions of young deaths

• 856 stations show high gender bias in deletions

• 2,915 stations have abnormally high deletion rates

• 2,423 stations report excessive deaths

• 192 stations report excessive deletions for a single reason

• 132 stations show suspicious patterns of “deceased” women

• 2,463 stations show a high number of “absent” electors

• 41 polling stations show gender bias in the “permanently shifted” category

In the lists provided below, the names of the polling stations, the name of the Assembly constituency, and the name of the district are mentioned in that order.

Unusually high young deaths

Pattern: Polling stations where more than 30 people were recorded as “deceased”, with at least half of those deleted being under 50 years of age. In 17 polling stations, such an unusually high proportion of young deaths was reported. The average number of deletions due to deaths in one polling station in West Bengal was 30 and so the number was chosen as the baseline for this analysis.

Select stations:

• Krishnapally Samz Bhaban, Maniktola, Kolkata North: 48 total deaths, 79% under the age of 50

• Dagapur Tea Garden Primary School, Matigara–Naxalbari, Darjeeling: 34 total deaths, 68% under the age of 50

• New Line SSK, Madarihat, Alipurduar: 38 total deaths, 61% under the age of 50

• Harijan Jnanprakash Vidyalaya Ground, Kolkata Port, Kolkata South: 37 total deaths, 57% under the age of 50

• Gairkata R.R. Primary School, Madarihat, Alipurduar: 45 total deaths, 56% under the age of 50

High gender bias in deletions

Pattern: Polling stations where at least 36 women were deleted, with women comprising 75% or more of all deletions. Data show that there were 856 such polling stations. An average of 36 women were deleted per polling station and so the number was chosen as the baseline for this analysis.

Select stations:

• Bajitnagar Jahanara Khatun Smriti F.P. school, Deganga, North 24 Parganas: 40 total deletions, 95% were women

• Jaharpur F. P. School, Harirampur, Dakshin Dinajpur: 39 total deletions, 95% were women

• Elme Noor Barkatia High Madrasa, Amdanga, North 24 Parganas: 45 total deletions, 91% were women

• Rangamati F.P. School, Tapan, Dakshin Dinajpur: 45 total deletions, 91% were women

• Aushara Udgara C. R. K. Shikshaniketan, Raina, Purba Bardhaman: 42 total deletions, 90% were women

Unusually high deletions

Pattern: On average, 73 electors were deleted in each polling station in West Bengal. In 2,915 stations, more than thrice the average or over 219 electors were deleted.

Select stations:

• Sambhu Vidyalaya, Kolkata Port, Kolkata South: 732 deletions

• Sri Jain Swetambar Terapanthi Vidyalaya, Jorasanko, Kolkata North: 718 deletions

• Maulana Azad Urdu School, Kolkata Port, Kolkata South: 714 deletions

• Alliance Jute Mill Canteen, Bhatpara, North 24 Parganas: 704 deletions

• Meghna Jute Mills, Jagatdal, North 24 Parganas: 677 deletions

Excessive death reports

Pattern: Polling stations where more than 90 deaths — thrice the average number of deletions due to deaths in one station in West Bengal — have been reported. This pattern is observed in 2,423 stations.

Select stations:

• Shikarapur Tea Garden Prathamik Bidyalaya, Rajganj, Jalpaiguri: 236 electors were deleted due to deaths

• Huldibari Cha Bagan Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra, Madarihat, Alipurduar: 236 deaths

• Danguajhar T. G. New School, Rajganj, Jalpaiguri: 236 deaths

• Sodepur Girls High School, Behala Purba, South 24 Parganas: 206 deaths

• Huldibari Cha Bagan Prathamik Bidyalay, Madarihat, Alipurduar: 202 were deleted due to deaths

Excessive deletions for single reason

Pattern: In 192 polling stations, where at least 73 electors (average number of deletions per polling station) were deleted, 90% or more of deletions were for a single reason.

Select stations:

• Shalaban Jamdoba, Asansol Dakshin, Paschim Bardhaman: 208 deleted, 100% marked not found or absent

• Bhagaban Chandra Narada Bala Khatik Pry, Kasba, South 24 Parganas: 293 deleted, 99% marked not found or absent

• J. K. Nagar F. P. School, Galsi, Purba Bardhaman: 390 deleted, 99% marked not found or absent

• Bhagaban Chandra Narada Bala Khatik Primary School, Kasba, South 24 Parganas: 371 deleted, 99% marked not found or absent

• J. K. Nagar F. P. School, Galsi, Purba Bardhaman: 659 deleted, 99% marked not found or absent

High gender bias in death

Pattern: Stations where at least 30 voters were deleted due to death and at least 75% of those deleted were women. There were 132 such stations.

Select stations:

• Aandharu Primary School, Ratua, Malda: 31 deaths, of whom 85% were women

• Ula Kalsara F.P. School, Deganga, North 24 Parganas: 33 deaths, of whom 85% were women

• Lahugachh Junior Basic School, Phansidewa, Darjeeling: 34 deaths, of whom 84% were women

• Anantapur F. P., Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur: 32 deaths, of whom 84% were women

• Bilkumari Uchcha Vidyalay, Palashipara, Nadia: 33 deaths, of whom 83% were women

Excessive “absent” voters

Pattern: Stations where at least 100 electors were marked absent. There were 2,463 such stations. An average of 20 electors were deleted per polling station as they were absent and so five times that number was chosen as the baseline for this analysis.

Select stations:

• J. K. Nagar F. P. School, Galsi, Purba Bardhaman: 651 voters absent

• Sri Jain Swetambar Terapanthi Vidyalaya (217), Jorasanko, Kolkata North: 578 voters absent

• Sri Jain Swetambar Terapanthi Vidyalaya (223), Jorasanko, Kolkata North: 577 voters absent

• Sri Jain Swetambar Terapanthi Vidyalaya (216), Jorasanko, Kolkata North: 537 voters absent

• Shree Kishore Vidyalaya, Kolkata Port, Kolkata South: 531 voters absent

Excessive gender bias among relocated electors

Pattern: In 41 polling stations, all those who were deleted for permanently shifting out were women. An average of 25 electors were deleted per polling station for permanently shifting and so the number was chosen as the baseline for this analysis.

Select stations:

• Sahabanchak M.S.K., Baisnabnagar, Malda: 43 permanent relocation deletions, all women

• Baliyaghati Primary School, Suti, Murshidabad: 37 permanent relocation deletions, all women.

• Belpukur High Madrasha, Harirampur, Dakshin Dinajpur: 33 permanent relocation deletions, all women.

• Jaharpur F. P School, Harirampur, Dakshin Dinajpur: 33 permanent relocation deletions, all women.

• Durgapur Shishu Shiksha Kendra, Chanchal, Malda: 33 permanent relocation deletions, all women