Voter ID scrutiny timeline may be pushed as document mismatch noticed
The Statesman | 18 February 2026
The 21 February deadline for completing the verification of identity documents submitted during hearings on the draft electoral roll in West Bengal is likely to be extended by two to three days, officials in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) indicated.
Sources said the possible delay stems primarily from the unusually high number of invalid and unapproved documents uploaded as identity proof.
According to officials, electoral staff are having to sift through a large volume of material that does not conform to the prescribed list of acceptable documents.
Insiders explained that, apart from documents not included in the 13 forms of identity proof recognised by the Election Commission of India, several uploads have turned out to be newspaper clippings, blank sheets, or files that are unreadable.
“Separating valid submissions from such material has become an extremely time-consuming exercise, which is why an extension of the scrutiny deadline is being considered,” an official said.
At the same time, election officials are simultaneously verifying documents already uploaded and processing fresh submissions that came in during the final phase of hearings, which concluded on 14 February.
Sources pointed out that had the uploading process ended along with the hearings, officials could have focused solely on verification, reducing the likelihood of any schedule slippage.
The commission has reportedly flagged five districts ~ Cooch Behar, Malda, Murshidabad, North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas ~ for an abnormally high incidence of unlisted documents.
All five districts share international borders with Bangladesh, with South 24-Parganas additionally having a long coastal stretch. Similar, though less pronounced, discrepancies have also been noticed in East Burdwan and West Burdwan.
Under the existing timetable, the final electoral roll for West Bengal is scheduled to be published on 28 February.
A full Bench of the Election Commission is expected to visit the state from 1 March for a two-day review of the post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) situation.
The announcement of the Assembly election schedule is likely to follow soon after the visit.