New Delhi: In a development likely to raise a political storm in poll-bound West Bengal, a total of 58 lakh names has been deleted from the state’s draft voter list after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to weed out duplication and errors.

Out of these 58 lakh names, 24 lakh have been marked as “dead”, 19 lakh as “relocated”, 12 lakh as “missing”, and 1.3 lakh as “duplicate”.

The publication of the draft list marks the end of the first phase of the Special Intensive Revision. Those whose names have been incorrectly excluded from the draft list can now raise objections and request corrections.

After addressing these objections, the final list will be published in February next year. The ananouncement of the Assembly polls in Bengal is expected after the publication of the final list. SIR was last conducted in Bengal in 2002.

Trinamool MP Saugata Roy termed the deletion of 58 lakh names “injustice”. “This is the BJP’s conspiracy to remove legitimate voters from Bengal’s list. We have set up voter assistance booths and we will help them submit forms to include their names in the voter list,” he said.

The publication of the draft list is likely to intensify the political uproar in Bengal over SIR.

Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has opposed the exercise and accused the Centre and the Election Commission of using SIR to delete the names of lakhs of eligible voters ahead of the election.