The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began in West Bengal on Tuesday, marking an important step by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to verify and update the voter database in 12 states and Union territories. The SIR, which was earlier conducted in Bihar, is now entering its second phase, covering some of the most electorally significant regions of the country, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Uttar Pradesh. The process is aimed at ensuring that all eligible voters are properly included in the electoral list, while outdated or duplicate entries are removed, thereby strengthening the integrity of India’s democratic process.

What is the SIR and Why It Matters

The Special Intensive Revision is a thorough voter roll verification process designed to identify discrepancies in electoral data and bring it up to date. According to the ECI, this initiative comes in response to the need for a more accurate and transparent voter registration system, especially in states that have not undergone a major revision for nearly two decades. The SIR is particularly crucial for West Bengal, as the state gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections, and ensuring an error-free electoral roll is key to conducting free and fair polls.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar had earlier announced that the second phase of SIR would cover 12 states and Union territories: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Of these, four—Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, and West Bengal—are set to hold assembly elections in 2026, making the exercise especially significant.

Kumar stated that the SIR process began immediately after the announcement on October 27, and the voter lists in the concerned regions have been frozen as of that date. The Commission will match voters’ details against earlier records from 2002, 2003, or 2004, depending on the last intensive revision held in each state. The ECI clarified that while the revision aims to verify voter eligibility, it does not determine citizenship, as that function lies outside its jurisdiction.

Key Dates and Timeline

According to the schedule shared by the ECI, the house-to-house verification and data collection process will continue until December 4, 2025. After that, draft electoral rolls will be published on December 9, providing citizens the opportunity to review the entries and raise any claims or objections. The claims and objections period will run from December 9, 2025, to January 8, 2026. Hearings, verifications, and final corrections will be carried out between December 9, 2025, and January 31, 2026, culminating in the final publication of the updated electoral rolls on February 7, 2026.

During this process, officials will visit households to confirm voter details, collect corrections, and ensure that only eligible voters remain on the list. The Commission estimates that this second phase of SIR will cover around 51 crore voters across the participating states and Union territories.

How to Check Your Name in the West Bengal 2002 Electoral Roll

For West Bengal residents, the ECI has made it possible to verify whether their names or those of their family members appeared in the 2002 electoral roll, which serves as the base document for the current revision. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal’s website at https://ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/.
2. Close the pop-up window on the homepage and click on “Electoral Roll of SIR 2002.”
3. A list of 21 districts from the 2002 electoral roll will be displayed, ranging from Coochbehar to Birbhum.
4. Select your district, such as Coochbehar.
5. Next, choose your Assembly Constituency (AC). For instance, Coochbehar has nine constituencies, including Mekhliganj.
6. A list of polling stations will appear under that constituency. Choose the one relevant to your previous registration.
7. Click on “Final Roll.”
8. Enter the captcha code displayed on the screen.
9. A PDF of the final roll will open. On the second page, under “Nirvachak Talika (Electoral Roll 2002),” you will find detailed entries that include:
   • Serial number
   • House number
   • Elector’s name
   • Relation (father/husband’s name)
   • Related person’s name
   • Gender
   • Age
   • Photo ID card number

If you can locate your or your family’s entry in the 2002 roll, it will help ensure a smoother verification process during the current SIR.

What to Do If Your Name Is Missing

If your name—or that of a family member—does not appear in the 2002 electoral list, don’t panic. The ECI has set out a clear procedure to help citizens re-establish their eligibility. Once the draft rolls are released on December 9, individuals can check whether their names have been included. If they are not, they will be issued a notice by election officials, prompting them to provide documentation to prove their eligibility as voters.

To be included in the final electoral roll, you will need to submit documents verifying your identity, age, and residence. The ECI has made provisions to accept a broad range of official documents, ensuring that no genuine voter is left out.

Accepted Documents for Verification

The following documents can be submitted to establish eligibility if your name is missing from the draft roll:

• Identity cards or pension payment orders issued to government employees or pensioners of the Central/State government or Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
• Official ID cards, certificates, or documents issued by government agencies, banks, local authorities, or PSUs.
• Birth certificates, passports, or educational certificates (matriculation or higher) from recognised boards or universities.
• Permanent resident certificates issued by the State government.
• Forest Rights Certificates or caste certificates (SC, ST, OBC).
• National Register of Citizens (NRC) documents, where applicable.
• Family registers prepared by local authorities.
• Land or house allotment certificates issued by the government.

These documents collectively serve to confirm that the applicant is an eligible resident and meets the necessary criteria for inclusion in the electoral roll.

The Broader Significance

The ECI’s Special Intensive Revision is being hailed as one of the largest and most detailed voter verification drives in recent years. The exercise not only seeks to eliminate errors from the rolls but also to build public trust in the electoral system. By referencing older rolls and allowing citizens to verify their entries, the process is expected to minimize the risk of wrongful exclusions or duplicate registrations.

For West Bengal, which has witnessed political contention over voter lists in past elections, the SIR assumes additional importance. It represents a systematic attempt to provide every eligible voter the opportunity to be included in the democratic process before the next major polls.

The Commission has urged citizens to actively participate in the verification drive and use the online facilities to check their information early. With draft rolls set to be released in December and final lists in February, the coming months will be critical in ensuring that every voice in West Bengal—and across the 12 states—is properly counted.