SIR in Bengal likely from Nov 1; CEO tells DMs to set up help desks

Pradip Chatterjee, MP, 25 Oct 2025, Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is set to begin the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal's electoral rolls from November 1, 2025, as part of its efforts to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter lists ahead of upcoming elections. 

The state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has issued instructions to all District Magistrates (DMs) to make the necessary preparations, which include setting up SIR help desks and organizing all-party meetings to ensure transparency throughout the process.

The SIR exercise will focus on verifying the names of 3.5 crore voters who were not on the 2002 electoral roll list. West Bengal has a total voter base of 7.6 crore, and the verification process is aimed at reconciling discrepancies and ensuring that the voter rolls are up to date. 

The CEO’s office will function round the clock during the exercise to ensure timely completion and facilitate the verification process.

As part of the preparations, each District Election Officer (DEO) and Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will be required to set up help desks in their offices to assist voters with queries related to the SIR. 

Additionally, multi-party meetings will be held at both the state and district levels to coordinate the revision process and ensure that all stakeholders, including political parties, are kept in the loop. The discussions and decisions made during these meetings will be reported back to the Election Commission for further action.

The SIR process follows a directive from the ECI during a recent meeting in New Delhi, where CEOs from various states and Union Territories were briefed on the nationwide exercise. The goal is to verify voter details across the country and update the rolls accordingly, with a focus on ensuring that no eligible voter is left out.

According to the ECI, the electoral roll published after the 2002 SIR exercise showed a 52% match with the list to be finalized in January 2025. This revision exercise is a crucial step in preparing for upcoming elections and maintaining the credibility of the electoral process.