Kolkata: In a startling revelation, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has informed the Election Commission (EC) that around 34 lakh Aadhaar card holders in West Bengal have been identified as deceased since the national identity system was rolled out in 2009.
The UIDAI also disclosed that another 13 lakh individuals who never enrolled for Aadhaar have died over the same period. These figures came to light during a meeting between UIDAI officials and the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal as part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across Bengal.
Verification Drive to Clean Up Voter Lists
The meeting was held following the EC’s directive to all states to cross-check voter records with Aadhaar data to identify irregularities, including duplicate or “ghost” voters.
“The Election Commission has been receiving frequent reports about non-existent and deceased voters still appearing on rolls,” an official from the CEO’s office said. “Data from UIDAI is expected to play a crucial role in purging such entries.”
Linking Data Across Departments
As part of the verification exercise, officials are also collaborating with banks, where Aadhaar is linked to most accounts, to cross-verify cases of inactivity.
“Banks have shared details of accounts that haven’t seen KYC updates for several years. This helps track individuals who may have passed away but whose names continue to appear on electoral rolls,” another official explained.
Ground-Level Enumeration Underway
The SIR process — aimed at ensuring cleaner and more accurate electoral rolls — is being conducted across the state. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are carrying out door-to-door visits, distributing enumeration forms based on the 2025 draft rolls and matching them with data from the 2002 revision.
According to the CEO’s office, over 6.98 crore enumeration forms, covering nearly 91 percent of voters, had been distributed as of Wednesday evening. Officials cautioned that any presence of deceased or duplicate voters in the draft rolls could invite disciplinary action against responsible BLOs.
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have also been instructed to exercise “utmost diligence” while verifying and finalizing voter data. The draft electoral roll is scheduled to be published on December 9, following which applicants whose details appear inconsistent with Aadhaar records may be summoned for additional verification.
With the SIR drive in full swing, officials believe the collaboration between UIDAI, banks, and election authorities could significantly reduce inaccuracies and strengthen the integrity of Bengal’s voter database ahead of the upcoming elections.
