EC clears decks for Bengal roll revision amid Bihar SIR row

The Election Commission (EC) has initiated preparations for the upcoming electoral roll revision in West Bengal, ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for March-April 2026.

This move follows a recent controversy in Bihar concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls, which had sparked political tensions.

Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manoj Agarwal, on Aug 27 directed all District Election Officers (DEOs) to expedite preparations for the electoral roll revision.

A day earlier, on Aug 26, Agarwal sent a separate communication to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, urging the immediate filling of vacant positions for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant EROs (AEROs). These appointments are deemed crucial for the timely and efficient conduct of the revision process.

In a bid to ensure the integrity of the revision process, Agarwal issued strict directives to DEOs. He emphasized that EROs and AEROs must not delegate their statutory duties to unauthorized personnel and must not share their ERONet login credentials with others.

Additionally, assistance with IT-related tasks should only be sought from permanent government employees, preferably those from the Home & HA Department. In the absence of such personnel, assistance may be sought from permanent Group C employees.

Agarwal also highlighted the importance of field-level verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). He instructed that this process should not be compromised, as it is essential for maintaining the accuracy and credibility of the electoral rolls. Any deviation from these directives could lead to serious consequences under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

These measures come in the wake of a controversy in Bihar, where allegations of fraudulent voter registrations led to the suspension of four officials, including two EROs and two AEROs.

The EC had directed the state government to take action against these officials, though an FIR was not registered against them.

To further engage stakeholders, CEO Agarwal has scheduled a meeting with all political parties on August 29 to discuss the proposed electoral roll revision exercise. While it remains uncertain whether this revision will be termed as SIR, the EC aims to commence the process in the first week of September, contingent upon the completion of necessary preparations.