For ’26 polls, thousands spend ’25 last day in SIR hearing queues
Times of India | 1 January 2026
Kolkata: Anjali Hazra underwent a knee replacement surgery just a few days ago. But despite her current mobility restrictions, the elderly woman had to turn up at Sanskrit College for her SIR hearing on Wednesday. Her son, Gopal, hired a cycle van for her to reach the venue, where EC officials checked her documents.
"My mother underwent a knee replacement surgery a few days ago and our hearing was slated for Wednesday. In fact, three of us—my mother, my brother and I— received the hearing notices. My mother thankfully did not have to wait long and the hearing was over smoothly," said Gopal even as Anjali sat nearby, wearing a long knee brace.
Thousands of citizens got no respite from the SIR hearing even on the last day of the year as the EC continued its drive to verify their citizenship so that they can cast their votes in the 2026 elections in Bengal. Amid year-end festivities, these unmapped voters, many of them youngsters, spent a major part of Dec 31 at the queue, waiting anxiously to prove their voting rights and about what might happen at the hearing.
Md Yunus, a trader and resident of Beniapukur, had to keep his shop shut to be present at the Aliah University hearing centre. "I attended the hearing but am still not sure why I got the notice. The officials did not ask me anything. They let me go after checking the documents," he said. A BLO at the venue conceded it was sheer harassment for people with no discrepancy in documents. "The spelling of an elector's father's name was different, and she got the call for a hearing. The officials checked her documents and allowed her to go. But she had to wait for a long time, this is harassment," said the BLO.
Punam Choudhary wanted to spend the year's last day at home with her children but she was called for hearing at Jessop Building. "Since I have a hearing, my husband had to work from home to be with the kids," she said.
Akash Chhetri (18) waited for his mother. He said, "I could not make any plan for 31st as I had to accompany my mother. Once this is done, I may call some friends and make an instant plan." His mother, Rakhi, said, "We have been living in Kolkata for generations, but for some reason the data did not match."
Priyanka Gupta, who stood at the queue at Sanskrit College along with her five-year-old son, Trinav, expressed her annoyance at the mismanagement. She was asked to report by 2 pm but after waiting for almost two hours, she had moved only a few steps. "We had so many plans but half the day is spent, waiting here. My son hasn't even eaten his lunch." Her mother-in-law was called for hearing a second time as her photo was not uploaded," she said.