Petition Filed in Calcutta HC for Court-Monitored Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal

Agencies, Calcutta, October 31, 2025 : A petition has been filed in the Calcutta High Court seeking a court-monitored Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in West Bengal. The petition was filed on Friday and has been admitted by a division bench comprising Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Smita Das De.

The petitioner has requested that the court intervene and extend the time period allocated for conducting the SIR exercise. Additionally, the petition seeks the court’s direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to provide a detailed explanation of the necessity for the SIR exercise.

Earlier this week, the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, announced that the SIR will be conducted in 12 states, including West Bengal. The first phase of the revision will commence on November 4, 2025. Following the initial phase, a draft list of voters will be published on December 9, 2025, allowing political parties and individual voters to register complaints. These complaints will be addressed by the ECI and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal. The final voters’ list is expected to be published on February 7, 2026.

Political Reactions and Concerns

The move has already sparked political controversy, with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) raising objections over the limited time frame for conducting the SIR. TMC General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee expressed concerns, stating that if the true objective of the exercise is to ensure an error-free electoral roll, the revision should be carried out over a longer period, rather than hastily. Banerjee claimed that the rushed timeline would lead to a flawed process.

“Their aim is not to create an error-free voters’ list. In reality, SIR stands for ‘Silent Invisible Rigging’. The last time a similar revision was conducted in West Bengal, it took almost two years to complete. Now, they are attempting to finish it in just two months,” Banerjee remarked.

On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has supported the SIR, accusing the TMC of opposing the revision due to fears that it would lead to the deletion of names of illegal voters, including alleged Bangladeshi and Rohingya nationals, from the electoral roll.

Timeline of the SIR Process

The SIR process in West Bengal is set to unfold in three stages. The first stage will begin on November 4, with the publication of the draft list scheduled for December 9. Following this, voters and political parties can lodge complaints, which will be addressed by the Election Commission. The final list will be released on February 7, 2026.

The petition and political debates surrounding the SIR in West Bengal reflect the sensitivity and importance of the electoral revision process, with both the ruling party and the opposition taking strong positions on the matter.