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Bengal SIR hearings: Here’s a key change proposed by state CEO

CM Mamata Banerjee had raised concerns about how electors were not getting acknowledgement receipts after submitting documents to support their eligibility.

2 min readKolkataUpdated: Jan 15, 2026 02:08 PM IST

Mamata Banerjee flags “robbery of democratic rights”, links SIR exercise to stress deaths, at Kolkata Book Fair. (File)

Midway through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal has proposed to the Election Commission of India (ECI) that electors attending hearings and submitting documents to include their names in the voters’ list should be given a receipt.

“We have already made the proposal, let us see what decision will be taken by ECI,” Agarwal said.

The development follows Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee raising the issue at a press conference and in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday. She noted that during SIR hearings, electors were submitting requisite documents in support of their eligibility, but, in several cases, no proper acknowledgement or receipt was being issued.

Also Read | Mamata flags use of AI in SIR, tells CEC: ‘Current approach arbitrary, exclusionary’

“Subsequently, at the stage of verification or hearing, these documents are reported as ‘not found’ or ‘not available on record’, and on that basis, names of electors are being deleted from the electoral rolls,” she added, calling the procedure “fundamentally flawed and untenable”.

Not issuing “documentary acknowledgement” deprived electors of proof of submission and placed them at the mercy of “internal record-keeping deficiencies”, she added.

According to CEO Agarwal, voters are submitting photocopies of documents to the electoral registration officer (ERO) or the assistant electoral registration officer (AERO) during the SIR hearings. The latest proposal suggests that officials stamp ‘received’ on a photocopy.

The second phase of the SIR hearing process in West Bengal is being held in 294 Assembly constituencies and will continue till February 7. A final electoral roll will be published on February 14.

Atri Mitra

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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