Old habits die hard: SC order yet to reach booths, electors face SIR test
Times of India | 21 January 2026
Kolkata: A day after the Supreme Court issued fresh directions to the EC on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, confusion continues to prevail on the ground in Bengal, with the BLOs saying they are yet to receive any official communication on the apex court's orders for the better part of the day.
Visits to multiple SIR hearing centres across Kolkata on Tuesday revealed a striking disconnect between judicial directions and their implementation at the grassroots. BLOs stationed said they were continuing with existing instructions, as no formal circular or briefing reached them from senior officials.
"We only heard about the SC order through the news. Nothing was officially conveyed to us so far," said a BLO at Bow Bazar High School, where voters queued up seeking clarity on documentation requirements.
A similar picture emerged at the Industrial Training School on SN Banerjee Road. There, officials said voters were asked to submit documents prescribed under the earlier guidelines. "The moment we receive fresh instructions from our seniors, we will start following them," a BLO said.
On Monday, the SC directed the EC to display names of electors flagged under the ‘logical discrepancies' category at gram panchayat bhavans and block offices, and receive objections and documents at these locations. The court also granted an additional 10 days for electors to furnish documents to establish their eligibility for inclusion in the electoral rolls.
The apex court further ordered that Madhyamik admit cards can be accepted as valid proof of date of birth and mandated that BLOs issue receipts for documents submitted by voters. On the question of representation during hearings, the EC informed the court that voters or their representatives — including BLAs — would be allowed to respond to notices.
However, at several Kolkata centres, BLOs admitted that they were yet to receive any instruction on Madhyamik admit cards. At Lady Brabourne College in Park Circus, 4 BLOs from different part numbers were seen operating from a single room and under a tree shade, responding to a steady stream of queries and issuing SIR notices. "Passport remains the strongest document for hearings, but many here don't have one," a BLO said. "We are also yet to receive any fresh mandate on Madhyamik admit cards as proof of birth."
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, political and civil society groups intensified their criticism of the SIR process. Desh Banchao Ganomancha, a platform representing those affected by SIR notices, accused the EC of harassment and demanded immediate implementation of the SC directives.
Sudipta Das, wife of Ashok Das, a BLO from Mukundapur who died by suicide, claimed her husband was under immense pressure due to work demands linked to SIR. "He shared his stress with the headmaster of his school," she said, seeking govt support for her family.
Poet Joy Goswami, in a message, said he got a notice despite being a long-time voter. All India Matua Maha Sangha general secretary Sukesh Choudhury said the process created fear among refugee communities.