Second Supplementary Voter List Released Amid SIR Exercise in Bengal : 37L cases disposed

Midnight release of second SIR list; 37L cases disposed so far

PTI, March 28, 2026, Kolkata: At the stroke of midnight, the second supplementary voter list was published, with around 37 lakh cases under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) disposed of so far.

The Election Commission limited its announcement to the release of the rolls, publishing the list in two parts on a booth-wise basis, along with a separate list of voters whose names have been deleted.

As in the earlier exercise, the Commission said voters can download the booth-wise supplementary list to check whether their names are included, while a separate list for deleted names has also been issued in the same format.

However, there was no clarity on the total number of deletions at the time of going to print.

The development comes amid the run-up to the West Bengal Assembly Election 2026, with the Commission having released the first supplementary list — the West Bengal SIR Supplementary List 2026 — late on Monday night. Nearly 10 lakh names featured in that first list, officials said.

Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal said on Friday that about 37 lakh names have been processed so far. There are currently no issues with the Commission’s portal.

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for setting up appellate tribunals to address disputes arising out of the SIR exercise. While the state had proposed four locations, the Judicial Academy in New Town has emerged as the frontrunner.

A joint inspection of the site has been carried out by the Registrar General of the Calcutta High Court and CEO office officials. “The inspection has been completed and a report submitted. The High Court will now take a decision. The Commission’s software is ready,” Agarwal said.

He added the tribunal mechanism could become operational within a day or two, with only one location likely to be finalised. A report has also been sought from the Director General of Police regarding Raghunathganj.

With election-related tensions surfacing, incidents linked to campaigning have been reported from Basanti and Ranaghat, prompting action.

“The officer-in-charge should have known when to requisition central forces. The incident in Ranaghat is also unfortunate. Appropriate action will be taken,” Agarwal said.

The Commission has ordered the suspension of Abhijit Pal, officer-in-charge of Basanti police station, citing dereliction of duty. He has been replaced by Prabir Ghosh, an Inspector from the Enforcement Branch.

In a parallel step, the Election Commission issued two directives detailing the responsibilities of police officers. It warned that strict adherence to the Model Code of Conduct is mandatory.

Police have been asked to identify habitual offenders, step up intelligence-sharing to curb illegal liquor and crime, and ensure enhanced security during campaigns.

Checks of hotels, lodges and religious places have been mandated, along with 24-hour naka checking, CCTV surveillance and deployment at borders.

Sub-divisional police officers have been tasked with expediting investigations, filing charge sheets, issuing lookout notices and coordinating with neighbouring districts to ensure free and fair elections.