The Election Commission of India has set the ball rolling for a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across the country, including Bengal, as it asked the chief electoral officers of all states to link the electoral rolls of the year when the last SIR was done with the 2025 voters’ list by September 26.

“During a conference with the CEOs of all states on Wednesday in Delhi, the EC asked the CEOs to link the electoral rolls of 2002 or 2003, when the SIR was last conducted in their states, with the existing rolls of 2025 by September 26. This is the first major step that has to be completed before the SIR is initiated in a state. This gives a clear hint that the SIR is likely to be conducted in the first week of October or soon after the end of Durga Puja in Bengal and Dussehra in other states,” said a source on the poll panel.

In the case of Bengal, the electoral rolls of 2002 and 2025 will be linked as the SIR was last conducted in the state in 2002.

The EC’s initiative to undertake the SIR across the country, including Bengal, has already drawn severe criticism from the Trinamool Congress. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has asked whether the exercise could be completed in two or three months.

“Our stand is very clear and it is on a par with all Opposition parties. It cannot be completed in two or three months,” Mamata said in Jalpaiguri on Wednesday.

An official explained that linking the two electoral rolls was important before the SIR was initiated, as it would help voters, whose names had figured in the 2002 and 2003 voters’ list, easily file the form by mentioning their details like part number and EPIC number. Also, it would be easier for the EC to find out how many voters have died or shifted permanently by comparing the two lists.

“If anybody’s name figures in the 2002 voters list and if he or she continues to be a voter in 2025, they would have to only fill up the form mentioning their details like EPIC number, part number etc. They would not be required to submit any other documents,” said the official.

Also, those whose names figured in the list can help their children get their names included in the electoral rolls by mentioning their names and submitting a document in support of their claims.

“But those whose names don’t figure in the 2002 voters’ list or those whose parents’ names don’t appear on the list have to submit documents specified by the EC to get their names included,” added the official.

Sources have said that every voter has to fill up the form — irrespective of the fact that their names figure in the 2002 list or not— to get their names included in the voters’ list to be prepared following the fresh SIR.

“The booth-level officers will visit the addresses of all 7.62 crore voters whose names are on the 2025 electoral rolls. In 2002, there were 4.58 crore voters in the post SIR. Now, it remains to be seen how many voters’ names figure on the list post 2025 SIR,” said another official.

A source in the Bengal CEO’s office said that given the ruling party’s critical stand on the SIR and the criticism that emerged during the process in Bihar, the EC was keen to ensure that complaints like BLOs not visiting homes or electoral registration officers under pressure to meet targets uploading forms with incomplete or inaccurate data, did not crop up when the revision began in the state.

“We do not want to leave any room for criticism. We have learnt from the Bihar experience and will definitely plug the loopholes,” the source said.

EC sources also said that in all likelihood, the SIR would be around a month-long exercise across the country, but the schedule could be altered in some states. During the time frame of one month, the voters would have to submit their forms. The EC will then verify and check all the applications and publish a draft list.

There will be another window of one month where the electors and political parties will be able to file their claims and objections. After considering all the claims and objections, the final electoral rolls will be published.

“For example, Bengal could get a few more additional days since it would observe a long holiday spell between October 18 and 28 because of Kali Puja and Chhat Puja. Similarly, in Punjab, the SIR could be deferred by some weeks as the state witnessed devastating floods recently,” said a source.