West Bengal Voter Verification: EC Flags Errors As Enumeration Returns Drop Sharply

<p data-start="84" data-end="310">Election Commission (EC) in West Bengal has detected serious inconsistencies in voter verification data, which erupted controversies across the state. This has also intensified the political battle between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress (TMC).&nbsp;</p>
<p data-start="312" data-end="696">The issue came to light when EC statistics initially showed that 2,208 polling stations had returned 100% filled-in voter enumeration forms, with no dead, transferred or duplicate voters recorded. South 24 Parganas topped the list, raising immediate concerns about the authenticity of the data. The EC quickly sought detailed reports from district magistrates within 24 hours.</p>
<h2 data-start="312" data-end="696"><strong>Numbers Saw Correction Trend&nbsp;</strong></h2>
<p data-start="698" data-end="990">Following the scrutiny, the numbers saw a dramatic correction. On Tuesday, the figure dropped from 2,208 to 480 polling stations, and by Wednesday it had plunged further to just 29. The steep decline has raised questions about how such a large discrepancy occurred in the first place.</p>
<p data-start="992" data-end="1232">BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh alleged systematic manipulation of data by the state administration, saying the episode had &ldquo;exposed large-scale tampering.&rdquo; He demanded a thorough investigation and strict action against the BLOs and EROs responsible.</p>
<p data-start="1234" data-end="1494">Responding to the allegations, TMC spokesperson Tanmay Ghosh accused the Election Commission of mismanagement. He said the SIR process had been &ldquo;unplanned and conducted under pressure,&rdquo; adding that it was the EC&rsquo;s responsibility to ensure accurate voter lists.</p>
<h2 data-start="1234" data-end="1494"><strong>Flagged Polling Booths Now Under EC&rsquo;s Close Monitoring</strong></h2>
<p data-start="1496" data-end="1722">The EC has placed all polling stations involved under close watch. According to officials, the enumeration forms from these booths will now undergo multiple layers of verification to determine the cause of the inconsistencies.</p>
<p data-start="1724" data-end="1886" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">The incident has deepened the ongoing political confrontation in the state, raising fresh concerns about transparency and accountability in voter list management.</p>