The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to commence a critical phase of its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, with hearings scheduled to begin on December 27, 2025. Notices have already been dispatched to approximately 10 lakh electors as part of this extensive verification drive.
Massive Scale of Hearings and Deployment of Micro Observers
To manage the mammoth task, the ECI has established a vast network of hearing tables across the state. Officials have confirmed there will be 11 hearing tables per Assembly constituency, amounting to a total of 3,234 tables across Bengal's 294 constituencies. This number is flexible and may be increased based on actual requirements during the process.
A key feature of this second phase is the deployment of micro roll observers. Over 4,000 such observers have been recruited and will be tasked with meticulously scrutinising enumeration forms and the entries made by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). This initiative, proposed by West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal and accepted by the Commission, aims to make the revision process more robust and error-free.
Focus on Discrepancies and Streamlined Digital Process
According to ECI sources, the initial focus of the hearings will be on electors whose current records do not map with the data from the 2002 Special Intensive Revision. This group comprises about 31 lakh individuals. Subsequently, the process will address electors with logical discrepancies in their records, who number a staggering 1.36 crore. In total, the records of 1.67 crore electors are under scrutiny in this phase.
To streamline operations, the ECI has developed dedicated software for the hearing process. This system will create a separate digital account for each elector, containing stored information and scanned documents submitted during their hearing, ensuring a systematic and traceable procedure.
Senior Oversight and Intensive Training
Senior ECI officials, including Principal Secretary S B Joshi and Deputy Secretary Abhinab Agarwal, have arrived in the state to oversee the SIR 2.0 process. Their presence underscores the importance the Commission places on this revision.
A comprehensive training programme for the micro observers, along with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), is scheduled to begin on December 24 at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata. An ECI official emphasized the crucial role of these observers, stating, "Micro observers are going to be the eyes of the Election Commission, so proper training is required."
This phase follows the publication of the draft electoral roll on December 16, after the completion of the first phase of SIR. The first phase saw a significant cleanup, with the voter count dropping from 7.66 crore to 7.08 crore after the deletion of over 58 lakh names. These deletions included deceased voters, those who were untraceable, had permanently shifted, or were enrolled in multiple places.
