Kolkata — The West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manoj Kumar Agarwal, has issued a strict directive to all district authorities, instructing them to complete the collection of SIR (Special Intensive Revision) forms by the end of November.
According to officials, more than 7.55 crore SIR forms have already been distributed across the state—covering nearly the entire eligible population. However, the CEO expressed concern that a significant number of these forms have still not been collected, warning district officials that delays will not be tolerated.
During a detailed video conference held on Saturday, Agarwal urged officers to identify bottlenecks at the local level and resolve them immediately. He emphasised that the SIR process is not just an administrative exercise, but a crucial step to ensure an updated, accurate voter list ahead of upcoming elections.
Concerns Over Implementation
The review meeting highlighted several lapses. In some areas, field officers reportedly distributed SIR forms from public spots rather than conducting mandatory door-to-door visits. The CEO made it clear that such violations go against the Election Commission’s guidelines and must be corrected immediately.
In border and enclave areas, form distribution had slowed due to administrative confusion. Local intervention helped restart the process, but officials have been asked to ensure that no voter is left out due to geographical or logistical challenges.
Administrative Reorganisation
To streamline the SIR exercise, the state recently underwent a major administrative reshuffle. Dozens of IAS officers and hundreds of state-level officials were transferred to strengthen field-level supervision and speed up form collection.
Relief for Voters
In a move welcomed by many, voters are no longer required to submit supporting documents with their SIR forms. This change is expected to simplify the process and encourage faster submission across urban and rural areas alike.
The Road Ahead
With the deadline approaching, district teams have been placed on high alert. The success of this massive enumeration exercise will determine how efficiently the state can update its voter database — a key factor that could influence the political climate ahead of next year’s elections.
