1 Man Listed as Dad of 389, Another of 310: SIR Detected Errors, Says Election Commission

In a shocking revelation, the Election Commission of India (EC) has reported numerous errors in the voter records for West Bengal, where a single person has been recorded as the father of hundreds of voters. According to the EC's affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court on January 20, 2026, in the 2025 electoral list, one individual was listed as the father of 389 voters in the Barabani assembly constituency (number 283) in Asansol district. Similarly, in the Bally constituency (number 169) in Howrah district, another individual was recorded as the father of 310 voters.

The EC has categorized these discrepancies as 'logical errors,' which require correction. Rakesh Dwivedi, counsel for the Election Commission, explained that notices have been sent to voters for clarification, and the onus is on them to provide supporting documentation to rectify the records.

The issue is not limited to a few cases; the EC found multiple instances of individuals being linked to a high number of voters as parents. Notably, seven persons were linked to more than 100 voters each, while 50 individuals were recorded as fathers of more than 20 voters, and over 450,000 were linked to more than five children.

As per the National Family Health Survey 2019-21, the average household size in India is 4.4, indicating that families typically have 2-3 children. However, some voter records reveal connections to far larger numbers, raising concerns about possible fraudulent voter mapping.

To address these discrepancies, the Election Commission is conducting further scrutiny, issuing notices to voters where logical errors are detected, and ensuring that correct parental links are made. These measures are part of an effort to clean up the voter rolls ahead of future elections.