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Bengal SIR: 11% of 60 lakh cases under scrutiny resolved in 1 week

Left & Congress say no polls until all pending cases are disposed of

Bengal SIR, West Bengal sir, West Bengal Assembly elections, West Bengal Assembly polls, SIR of electoral roll, nationwide SIR, Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Assembly elections, Assembly polls, nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, nationwide SIR of of electoral rolls, Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, SIR of of electoral rolls, Election Commission, Election Commission of India, Indian express news, current affairsWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on a dharna at Esplanade in Kolkata on Friday against the EC’s SIR exercise in the state. She spent the night at the protest site. (Photo: Partha Paul)

IN A week since the release of the voters’ list following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll in West Bengal, only 6.5 lakh or 10.82% of the total 60.06 lakh names put under scrutiny for “adjudication” have been disposed of.

For the 60.06 lakh registered electors in the state, who found their names “under adjudication”, it means they are on the rolls, but will not be able to exercise their right to vote in the Assembly elections till the judicial officers, appointed on orders of the Supreme Court to review their cases, decide to keep them on the rolls in subsequent supplementary lists.

Around 700 judicial officers, including 200 from neighbouring Jharkhand and Odisha, have been given the responsibility to adjudicate these cases.

“Till date, not a single judicial officers has come from Jharkhand and Odisha. Only 505 judicial officers are currently involved in resolving the adjudication cases. The West Bengal government is making logistical arrangements. One hundred judicial officers, including six retired judges, will come from Jharkhand and another hundred from Odisha by Saturday,” a senior EC official said.

“So far, 6.5 lakh cases have been disposed of, and 75% have undergone preliminary scrutiny. Judicial officers are working with the EROs (Electoral Registration Officers) and AEROs (Assistant Electoral Registration Officers). The EC has also provided them with the revoke option in the application so that, in case of any mistake, they can correct it accordingly,” the senior EC official said.

Justifying the slow pace of resolving the adjudication cases, another official at the state Chief Electoral Office said: “It is not a very easy task for the judicial officers. They are not only checking the uploaded documents, but also verifying them with the physical documents provided by electors during the SIR hearings. We have found serious discrepancies between the documents uploaded on the EC app and the hard copies.”

With no stated deadline for wrapping up the whole process, electors and political parties have been mounting pressure of the EC for the early disposal of cases.

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On Thursday, delegations of at least four parties, including the Left Front, the Congress, ISF, and the newly formed JUP, met CEO Manoj Agarwal separately and demanded early disposal of adjudication cases.

“Without the complete and flawless voters’ list, we will not allow Assembly elections to be held in Bengal,” said CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim.

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience  Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience  Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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