Ahead of Assembly elections, Bengal electorate crosses 6.82 crore as 7 lakh new voters added; details awaited

Around seven lakh new voters have been added to West Bengal electoral rolls ahead of the assembly elections, with the Election Commission yet to disclose the age or gender break-up of this additional electorate, officials said on Saturday. Around 3.

22 lakh of these new voters will vote in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly Elections on 23 April, while the remaining nearly 3. 88 lakh voters will exercise there franchise in the second phase on 29 April, a senior official of the poll body said.

The commission, however, has not specified how many among these new entrants are first-time voters who have just turned 18, nor has it given a detailed gender break up of these voters.

The commission has also not disclosed the number of Form-6 applications received for inclusion in the rolls or how many of them were rejected. "The aggregate figures have been released in line with norms.

Detailed data is maintained separately and may be shared later if required," the senior EC official said. The total electorate in the state now stands at 6,82,51,008, which may increase if names are added following tribunal orders, the EC said.