SC To Bengal Govt On SIR Preparations: 'Provide More Staff To EC If Required'
The hearing and verification phase, originally scheduled from December 9 to January 31, 2026, will now run from December 16 to February 7, 2026.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed the state to provide additional staff to the Election Commission if required, citing the pressure faced by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the Special Revision of Voter Lists (SIR). The court said, “The state should provide more employees to the Election Commission for SIR, if required. If more employees come to the service of the commission, the workload will reduce.”
The court further noted that officials should consider requests from those facing difficulties in working on SIR due to personal reasons. “If anyone wants any special relaxation, he or she can go to court,” the Supreme Court said while hearing an application from a Tamil Nadu political party.
Election Commission Extends SIR Deadlines
The Election Commission has extended the SIR deadlines in 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal. Enumeration forms can now be collected till December 11, while the draft voter list will be published on December 16 instead of December 9.
The extension has been welcomed by BLOs and the Voter Union Manch. However, members of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee continue their agitation, demanding more support and immediate relief.
Revised Timeline for Voter List Publication
The Special Revision of Voter Lists, announced on October 27 for 12 states and UTs including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Kerala, initially required house-to-house enumeration by BLOs from November 4 to December 4.
The new notification extends this period from December 16 to January 15, 2026. The hearing and verification phase, originally scheduled from December 9 to January 31, 2026, will now run from December 16 to February 7, 2026. The final voter list will be published on February 14 instead of February 7.
Focus on Accuracy and Ghost Voter Elimination
The Election Commission has emphasised counting dead, fake, or missing voters and those who have moved. BLOs will hold meetings to verify the data and submit signed copies to the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), while retaining one copy themselves.
“BLOs will hold a meeting among themselves to get a count of all these voters. After taking the count, the BLO and BLA will sign it. They will have to sign two copies and submit one copy to the EROs, while keeping the other copy,” sources said. The commission considers this step crucial to eliminate ghost voters and ensure accurate voter records.
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