Bengal begins voter roll revision amid Bihar SIR citizenship row

New Delhi: After Bihar made it mandatory for voters to prove their citizenship during the special intensive revision (SIR) of the voters’ list, a similar move is now being initiated in West Bengal. While the move in Bihar has already sparked widespread opposition, the Election Commission has directed similar action in Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal has written to district electoral officers instructing them to prepare for the revision of the electoral rolls. The state government has also been asked to urgently fill vacancies of electoral registration officers and assistant electoral registration officers.

Several petitions questioning the SIR process in Bihar are under consideration in the Supreme Court. Even before the court delivers its verdict, the Election Commission is moving ahead with the revision process in West Bengal. However, the Commission has not officially termed the Bengal exercise as “SIR.” Officials clarified that revising the rolls before every election is routine.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged citizens not to fill in the forms hastily without carefully verifying every detail, especially in light of the SIR-related requirements.