Election Commission Confident of Meeting SIR Deadline Despite Verification Pace Concerns
A senior Election Commission official stated on Tuesday that approximately 55 lakh electors' documents have been verified so far from those submitted during the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) hearings. With only four days remaining until the February 7 deadline set by the EC to complete all document verifications, the current pace has raised questions about whether the entire SIR process can be finalized on schedule.
Official Assurance and Progress Update
The official, however, emphasized that the process is progressing smoothly and expressed confidence that the deadline will be met without extension. "Already, the hearing process is over in at least 100 Assembly constituencies. All documents will be uploaded and verified within deadline. The speed of work will gain momentum in next few days. We don't think there is any need to extend the deadline," he asserted.
According to the official's detailed breakdown:
- Over 1.5 crore voters received hearing notices initially.
- Approximately 31 lakh were classified as "unmapped" voters not linked to Bengal's 2002 SIR.
- The remaining 1.2 crore voters had enumeration forms with logical discrepancies requiring hearings.
- As of Tuesday, hearings for over 1.2 crore individuals were completed.
- Documents from nearly 95 lakh persons have been uploaded.
- Verification has been completed for 55 lakh documents so far.
Verification Processes and Challenges
The official noted that cooperation from all stakeholders has been crucial in keeping the exercise on track. In related verification developments:
- The Ministry of External Affairs completed verification of all passports submitted during hearings last week, though passports impounded in the last three years won't be verified.
- Verification of SC/ST/OBC certificates is proceeding without significant issues according to commission officials.
Post-Publication Recourse and Infrastructure Preparations
With the final electoral rolls scheduled for publication on February 14—just 11 days away—the EC has established a mechanism for voters who might still be excluded. Electors whose names are missing from the final rolls despite attending hearings and submitting documents can apply to the concerned District Magistrate or District Election Officer within 15 days of publication. "After getting the applications, the DM/DEO will call them for a hearing. Applications can also be made to the CEO," explained another EC official.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal has written to the chief secretary emphasizing the need for proper infrastructure at all polling booths. The state currently has 80,681 polling booths, with plans to increase this number by approximately 14,000 additional booths. The rationalization of polling booths is scheduled for completion by February 7, aligning with the SIR verification deadline.
The Election Commission maintains that despite the substantial workload and tight timeline, all processes are on track to ensure accurate and comprehensive electoral rolls for West Bengal's upcoming electoral processes.
