Bengal nears final line in SIR exercise, distributes over 93pc forms
The Statesman | 15 November 2025
The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) extended deadline for distributing enumeration forms under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ends on Saturday, with around 70 lakh forms still left to be delivered across West Bengal.
Officials in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) remain confident that the target will be met, citing the steady pace of daily distribution since the door-to-door exercise began on 4 November.
According to updated figures from the CEO’s office, 7.14 crore forms — 93.22 per cent of the state’s total electorate — had been distributed by 8 p.m. on Thursday. West Bengal currently has 7.66 crore registered voters as per the rolls updated on 27 October.
The initial deadline of 11 November had lapsed with nearly 15 per cent of voters yet to receive the forms, prompting the ECI to extend the date first to 14 November and then to 15 November.
The completion of form distribution marks the end of the first stage of the three-phase SIR, which will conclude by March next year. The exercise is being undertaken in the state for the first time since 2002.
Under SIR guidelines, voters whose names or their parents’ names were not in the 2002 rolls must submit any of 11 prescribed documents to retain their names on the electoral list. Those whose entries existed in 2002 must provide one of 11 identity documents specified by the Commission.
The process has triggered intense political debate in West Bengal ever since Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the revision.
The Trinamul Congress has opposed the exercise, alleging it is a union government “ploy” to introduce an NRC-like process in the state.
The BJP has countered that Trinamul’s resistance stems from fears that illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya voters may be removed from the rolls. Despite the political friction, Bengal has emerged as one of the top performers in the ongoing nationwide SIR.
ECI data shows that the state has already distributed 7.14 crore enumeration forms — 93.22 per cent of its voter base — placing it among the leading states in coverage.
A total of 80,861 booth level officers (BLOs) have been deployed for the door-to-door distribution across 12 states and Union Territories.
In contrast, BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh (79.89 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (74.41 per cent) and Chhattisgarh (78.41 per cent) trail Bengal’s progress, while Goa and Lakshadweep have achieved full coverage.
Even so, officials have identified 37 Assembly constituencies with sluggish distribution levels, including Kasba, Jadavpur, Beleghata, Bidhannagar, Rajarhat–New Town, Behala, Maheshtala, Metiabruz, Sonarpur, Tollygunge and Cossipore–Belgachia.
At a review meeting on Wednesday, the CEO instructed EROs and BLOs to intensify efforts in these segments where coverage remains below 75 per cent.
Other states such as Rajasthan (86.82 per cent), Tamil Nadu (81.37 per cent), Kerala (62.40 per cent) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (89.81 per cent) also lag behind West Bengal.