West Bengal faces a race against time to complete its Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with the final rolls scheduled for publication on February 14. The Election Commission of India (ECI) initiated the SIR to ensure an accurate and inclusive voter list, a crucial step before upcoming elections. However, the ambitious project has been plagued by challenges, leaving many questioning whether the state can meet the deadline.
A significant hurdle is the sheer number of notices yet to be published. While the exact current number remains unspecified, earlier figures indicated a substantial backlog. As of December 10, 2025, over 56 lakh forms remained uncollected. Moreover, approximately 3.2 million "unmapped" electors, those without links to the 2002 voter list, were slated for hearings that began on December 27, 2025.
The SIR process requires extensive verification, with election officials scrutinizing identification documents. To manage the workload and ensure accuracy, the ECI is deploying 2,000 additional micro-observers in West Bengal to assist with the hearing sessions. These observers, drawn from central government staff, will undergo training starting January 15, 2026, before being deployed to hearing centers across the state. The ECI’s decision to appoint more observers was influenced by the high volume and diverse nature of "logical discrepancy" cases discovered during progeny mapping.
The SIR has not been without controversy. Trinamool Congress MPs have approached the Supreme Court seeking an extension of the January 15 deadline, citing alleged procedural lapses. They raised concerns about the removal of approximately 58.2 lakh names from the draft roll without prior notice or hearings. The MPs also criticized the ECI's communication methods, alleging that informal instructions via WhatsApp messages replaced formal statutory communication. The Supreme Court has requested a response from the ECI on the matter.
Adding to the complexity, the Special Revision has triggered political tensions. Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of attempting to delete voters and has linked the SIR to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The BJP, on the other hand, has claimed that the electoral rolls contain "infiltrators".
Despite the challenges and controversies, the ECI is determined to finalize Bengal's electoral rolls by February 14, 2026. The deployment of additional micro-observers and the ongoing hearing process demonstrate the commission's commitment to ensuring that no genuine voter is left out while removing any bogus entries. The coming weeks will be critical in determining whether West Bengal can successfully complete the SIR within the given timeframe and address the concerns raised by various stakeholders.
