Election Commission Imposes Strict 7-Day Timeline for SIR Hearings in West Bengal
The Election Commission of India has issued a stringent directive mandating the completion of all hearings related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal within a tight seven-day timeframe. This decisive move aims to streamline the electoral preparation process ahead of the final publication of the revised voter list.
Key Deadlines and Compliance Directives
According to the official order released following a crucial video conference meeting, the Election Commission has established a series of non-negotiable deadlines for state election officials. The directives specify that all pending hearing notices must be generated by 5 PM on January 31 and subsequently served to concerned parties by 5 PM on February 1. District Electoral Officers have been instructed to ensure that proof of service is uploaded by Booth Level Officers without delay.
The most critical requirement mandates that all SIR hearings, including the comprehensive documentation process, must be conclusively completed within the next seven days. For hearings that have already taken place, officials must upload attendance records and collected documents by February 2 to maintain procedural integrity.
High-Level Meeting and Implementation Strategy
The directives emerged from a significant video conference meeting chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, who led the full bench of the Election Commission in discussions with West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal. Following this high-level consultation, CEO Agarwal immediately communicated the instructions to all District Electoral Officers across the state, emphasizing the February 7 completion deadline for hearings and the subsequent February 14 publication date for the final electoral roll.
State Special Roll Observer Subrata Gupta participated in the meeting alongside all District Election Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, ensuring comprehensive representation from West Bengal's electoral administration hierarchy. The commission's order explicitly stated that all cases must be disposed of according to established norms without any procedural deviations.
Enhanced Monitoring and Resource Reallocation
To facilitate this accelerated timeline, the Election Commission has authorized strategic resource reallocation. Over the next two to three days, Micro Observers stationed at hearing centers will be withdrawn and reassigned to assist Roll Observers in their respective districts. This redeployment aims to strengthen monitoring capabilities and ensure thorough oversight of the revision process.
The commission has instituted a rigorous super checking mechanism that will examine the digital trail of all uploaded documents, inputs provided by Micro Observers and Roll Observers, and disposals executed by Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers. District Electoral Officers have been tasked with communicating these instructions to all relevant officials for strict compliance.
Decentralization Efforts and Supreme Court Compliance
In response to a Supreme Court directive, the Election Commission has established additional hearing centers across West Bengal, utilizing panchayat bhawans and government premises to decentralize the process. A senior EC official acknowledged that this decentralization strategy has significantly accelerated hearing completion rates, creating optimism that the February 7 deadline can be successfully met.
The official noted that while earlier concerns existed about completing the hearing process by the stipulated date, the establishment of decentralized centers has dramatically improved efficiency. This structural adjustment represents a strategic response to logistical challenges and demonstrates the commission's commitment to ensuring comprehensive electoral roll revision within the compressed timeline.
