The Election Commission of India could not begin issuing hearing notices under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal on Thursday, even though the draft voter list had already been published. The delay occurred due to administrative and logistical reasons, according to sources within the Commission.
After the publication of the draft electoral roll on December 16, the Commission was expected to start the hearing process for voters whose names were either excluded from the list or marked with discrepancies. These hearings are a crucial step in the SIR process, allowing affected voters to present documents and clarify issues related to their eligibility.
However, the hearing notices, though prepared, were initially drafted only in English. Concerns were raised that many voters might face difficulties understanding the notices. As a result, the Election Commission decided to translate the notices into local languages before distribution, which delayed the process. Officials indicated that the translated notices are likely to be issued from Friday.
The SIR process in West Bengal began on November 4, during which enumeration forms were collected and uploaded until December 11. Following verification, the draft voter list published on December 16 showed that more than 58 lakh names were removed. The deletions were attributed to reasons such as duplication, death of voters, incomplete information, or the inability to match records with previous electoral data.
Among those affected, voters marked under the “no mapping” category—whose present details could not be linked with earlier records—are expected to receive hearing notices first. In addition, around 1.36 lakh voters whose data contained inconsistencies or discrepancies will also be called for hearings in subsequent phases.
Apart from language-related delays, there are reports of logistical challenges at the ground level. In some areas, booth-level officers have not yet received their dues, which may further affect the smooth conduct of the hearing process.
The Election Commission has maintained that the delay is temporary and that the hearing process will commence shortly. The outcome of these hearings will determine the final electoral roll, which is critical ahead of the upcoming elections in the state.