The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has reached a critical stage in its second phase, with approximately 5 lakh voters at risk of having their names deleted from the voter list due to non-appearance at scheduled hearings.
According to officials cited by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal, these voters failed to respond to repeated notices issued by Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) for verification amid "logical discrepancies" or other issues flagged in the draft roll. The hearing and verification phase, which involved claims and objections following the publication of the draft electoral roll on December 16, 2025, was originally set to conclude around early February 2026, with the final roll slated for publication shortly thereafter.
In recent days, hearing centres across the state processed 5-7 lakh voters daily in a high-pressure effort to clear the backlog. However, as the deadline approached (initially February 7 or similar), a significant number—around 5 lakh—did not turn up despite summons. This includes cases of "unmapped" voters (those not properly linked to earlier rolls, such as the 2002-2004 SIR) and logical discrepancy cases.
Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal has proposed extending the hearing deadline to February 14, pending approval from the Election Commission of India (ECI). He has directed District Election Officers (DEOs) to submit details on pending cases. If granted, this would also delay the final electoral roll publication (potentially to February 21 or later). Around 20 of the state's 294 Assembly constituencies still have incomplete hearings, though officials note that only 3-4% of total cases remain pending overall.
The SIR exercise in West Bengal, part of a broader Phase-II rollout across several states and UTs starting November 2025, has been highly contentious. It follows the deletion of at least 58 lakh names in the first phase (draft roll stage). The process has drawn criticism from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress, who allege it disproportionately targets genuine voters, is rushed, and politically motivated ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The matter has reached the Supreme Court, where Banerjee filed a petition highlighting concerns over mass deletions, document acceptance issues, and the overall conduct of the revision.
Election officials emphasize that the SIR aims to purify the rolls by ensuring only eligible citizens remain enrolled, with provisions for prior notice and verification. Before final deletion, individual communications citing reasons are to be sent to absent voters. Of completed cases, a significant portion of documents have been uploaded and verified, with many disposals already recorded.
The outcome could impact lakhs of electors in a state with over 7.6 crore registered voters, amid ongoing political tensions surrounding the exercise. Further updates from the ECI are awaited on the extension request and final roll timeline.
For More News Updates Follow Us On www.tconews.in
