A row has erupted in West Bengal ahead of the closure of the SIR exercise following reports that unauthorised forms are being circulated to include unmapped voters who failed to submit required documents during enumeration.
Alleged distribution of such forms in parts of Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas just days before the end of the hearing process has prompted the Election Commission to seek reports from district authorities, even as the Chief Electoral Officer said that no such form was issued by the poll panel.
The hearing process under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is scheduled to conclude on Saturday (February 14, 2026), after which no fresh applications for inclusion in the voter list will be entertained.
3.5 lakh ‘unmapped’ voters do not turn up for SIR hearing in West Bengal
Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal said, “The commission has not issued any such form. We have sought reports from the district election officers (DEOs).”
