Kolkata's SIR Hearings Extended, Creating Scenes of Urgency and Exhaustion
In an unexpected move on Saturday evening, the Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) announced a one-week extension for the Summary Revision (SIR) hearing deadlines. This decision, which caught many off guard, transformed what had appeared to be the final day of hearings into a period of heightened activity across Kolkata's hearing centers.
Last-Minute Surge and Varied Scenes Across Centers
The extension brought relief to voters who had missed earlier deadlines but placed additional pressure on Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) and Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who must now continue their work until the new deadline passes. Across the city, the scenes varied dramatically from center to center.
Some venues experienced a significant last-minute surge of anxious voters eager to correct discrepancies in their electoral records, while others appeared comparatively quiet, having completed most hearings in preceding weeks.
Long Queues and Patient Voters
At several locations on Saturday, queues began forming well before official hearing times. Rani Rashmoni High School on SN Banerjee Road saw voters lining up from as early as 11 am, despite hearings not starting until 1 pm. BLOs from multiple parts of the ward worked tirelessly throughout the day as crowds swelled.
"Almost 550 people were expected from different parts on Saturday," explained Ananda Das, an AERO at the center. "We have hearings almost every day, but the center was particularly crowded over the last few days."
As the day progressed, impatience grew among those waiting due to the slow pace of hearings and the high volume of cases being processed.
Voter Experiences and Challenges
Diwakar Sharma, a resident of Doctor Lane in Taltala, arrived at the center around 2 pm only to discover he needed additional documentation. "There was a mismatch between my name and my father's name, for which I was called for the hearing," Sharma recounted. "I forgot to bring my birth certificate, so I had to return home and fetch it."
Asma Khatoon, a 45-year-old resident of Smith Lane, waited nearly two hours for her turn. "The process was incredibly slow," she said. "I arrived at 12:30 pm but waited until 2:15 pm. I had to return home to cook lunch too, but since it was supposed to be the final day, I stayed to complete the process."
Other Centers and Their Experiences
Muttylall Seal's Free College was another center experiencing heavy footfall on Saturday. By 2:45 pm, more than 325 people were queued up, with staff members from different parts of ward 43 coordinating to manage the rush.
At City College on Amherst Street, people began queuing for SIR hearings from 2 pm, creating a last-minute rush as BLOs attended to voters, collected documents, and answered queries. "Most SIR hearings were complete," noted Moumita Baral, a BLO from Jorasanko constituency. "Only 67 were scheduled for Saturday."
Siblings Purvi and Saksham Jaiswal queued at City College while their cousin's wedding festivities were in full swing at their home. Saksham explained, "We received a notice pointing out that our names don't match our father's. After writing the correct spelling in the enumeration form, I don't know how my name was misspelled."
Contrasting Scenes at Aliah University
Aliah University on Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, typically one of the busiest centers, presented a contrasting picture on Saturday with very few people appearing for hearings. Chowringhee constituency AERO Iqbal Hashim Ansary explained, "Only 15-20 pending cases were called for hearing on Saturday. We wanted to avoid the last-minute rush in SIR hearings."
BLO Bidyut Mondal expressed relief, sharing that he felt "relaxed" as the hearings had concluded at his center.
The extension has created a mixed response across Kolkata, with some voters grateful for the additional time and election officials facing continued pressure to ensure all electoral records are accurately updated before the new deadline.
