SIR hearings start across 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal

Hearings under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began across all 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal on Saturday. On the same day, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) granted Y-Plus security cover to West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Agarwal. Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) Gyanesh Bharti is scheduled to arrive in Kolkata on December 30 to review the ongoing SIR process.

Following the MHA directive, Central security personnel were deployed at the CEO's office in Kolkata on Saturday. "Y-Plus security has been provided by the MHA to West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal. Eleven Central force personnel will accompany him," a senior official said. The MHA has also advised relocating the CEO's present office to the Shipping Corporation of India building citing security concerns. The move is expected to take place shortly, officials added.

Bharti is likely to visit several hearing centres during his stay in the state from December 30-31.


Hearings begin

Over 31 lakh unmapped voters have been called for hearings beginning Saturday. After the publication of the draft rolls on December 16, the Claims and Objections period opened on December 17 and will continue until January 16, 2026. Hearings are being conducted at 3,234 tables statewide - 11 in each Assembly constituency - a senior Election Commission official said.

In Kolkata North and South combined, which together have 11 constituencies, 121 tables have been set up for hearings.

The signatures, photographs, documents and enumeration forms of voters called for hearings will be uploaded on ERO-Net. BLOs, EROs, AEROs and Micro Observers will be present to monitor and scrutinise proceedings.

TMC MP alleges harassment

Trinamool Congress four-term MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar alleged that the Election Commission was "harassing" citizens after four of her family members - including her two sons and her 90-year-old mother - received summons for hearings.

Ghosh Dastidar said both sons are government employees. "My husband was a minister in the West Bengal cabinet. I have been an MP since 2009. Yet my sons, sister and mother have been summoned. What is going on in the name of SIR is unimaginable. This is an exercise to harass people," she alleged.

Her mother, Ira Mitra (90), has also received a notice, she said, questioning how ordinary citizens were being treated if senior politicians were not exempt.