Bhubaneswar: Election Commission of India (ECI) officials on Tuesday said that more than 50 per cent of electors in West Bengal have submitted enumeration forms with progeny mapping, as part of the ongoing electoral roll verification exercise. However, the Commission has flagged major discrepancies in a significant number of these submissions.
According to officials, the exercise is aimed at strengthening the integrity of the electoral rolls by tracing voter lineage and long-term residency patterns. Based on the submissions, electors are being categorised into three distinct groups.
Three Categories of Voters
Electors whose names appear in both the 2002 electoral roll and the 2025 roll will be treated as self-mapped voters. These individuals are considered long-standing voters and will not require additional verification.
The second category comprises progeny-mapped voters. These are electors whose names do not appear in the 2002 roll but who can establish blood relations—such as parents, grandparents or other direct relatives—whose names were present in earlier electoral rolls. Such linkages are being examined to validate continuity of residency and eligibility.
The third category includes un-mapped electors. These are voters whose names neither appear in the 2002 roll nor have any identifiable relatives listed in past electoral data. The ECI has made it clear that electors falling under this category will be required to produce documentary proof to establish their legitimacy as voters.
Discrepancies Under Scrutiny
Officials said several progeny mapping forms contain inconsistencies related to family linkages, addresses and supporting details. These discrepancies are currently under scrutiny, and incorrect or unverifiable submissions may lead to further verification or exclusion until clarification is provided.
“The objective is not exclusion but accuracy,” an ECI official said, adding that genuine voters would be given adequate opportunity to submit documents and rectify errors.
Next Steps
Un-mapped electors will be notified individually and asked to submit documents such as birth certificates, residence proof or other government-issued records within a stipulated time. Failure to do so could result in their names being flagged or removed from the rolls, officials said.
The enumeration and mapping exercise is part of the ECI’s broader effort to ensure clean, updated and credible electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections in the state.
-OdishaAge
