Bengal sees sharpest rise in registered voters in border areas since 2002 SIR

BETWEEN 2002, WHEN the Special Intensive Review (SIR) was last conducted by the Election Commission of India, and 2025, West Bengal has seen a 66% increase in the number of registered voters — from 45.8 million to 76.3 million.

- RAVIK BHATTACHARYA

Eighteen districts that comprised the state then, and ECI data shows that of the top 10 that showed the highest increase in the number of voters, nine districts border Bangladesh.

Different political parties in the state have different rationales for this — the opposition BJP says this is proof that “Muslim infiltrators” from Bangladesh are settling in India, while the ruling Trinamool Congress says it indicates the inflow from across the border of Hindu refugees escaping persecution.

The SIR is currently underway across the state's 23 districts (some larger districts were carved into smaller ones between 2002 and now).