Sat Dec 27 09:10:06 UTC 2025: Summary:
Hearings for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began in West Bengal on December 27, 2025. Approximately 3.2 million “unmapped” voters, who couldn’t link their details with the 2002 electoral roll, are being called for hearings in the first phase. Aadhaar will not be considered as a standalone document. People aged 85 and above will be visited at their homes by Election Commission officials. The process is monitored by over 4,500 micro-observers to ensure transparency. The Election Commission had earlier published draft electoral rolls, deleting over 5.8 million names due to reasons like death, migration, and non-submission of enumeration forms.
News Article:
West Bengal Begins Electoral Roll Revision Hearings for 3.2 Million Voters
KOLKATA, December 27, 2025 – Hearings for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal’s electoral rolls commenced today, with long queues forming at 3,234 centers across the state. The focus of this initial phase is on approximately 3.2 million “unmapped” voters, individuals whose records haven’t been linked to the 2002 electoral roll.
“We are committed to ensuring a transparent and accurate electoral process,” stated a senior Election Commission official. “This revision is a crucial step in that direction.”
Voters are required to present one of twelve recognized documents, including Aadhaar, as proof of identity and address. However, authorities clarified that an Aadhaar card will not be accepted as a sole form of identification.
Recognizing the challenges faced by senior citizens, the Election Commission has arranged for officials to visit the homes of those aged 85 and above to facilitate the process.
To maintain integrity, over 4,500 micro-observers are overseeing the hearings. Access to the centers is restricted to authorized officials.
The revision follows the Election Commission’s publication of draft electoral rolls on December 16, which saw the deletion of more than 5.8 million names due to various reasons, including death, migration, and failure to submit required forms.
The Election Commission (EC) had, on December 16, published the State’s draft electoral rolls following SIR, deleting the names of more than 58 lakh voters on various grounds, including death, migration and non-submission of enumeration forms.
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