Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls Starts in West Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 5 (PTI) The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has commenced in West Bengal, marking the first such initiative in 23 years. Over 80,000 booth-level officers (BLOs) began a month-long house-to-house visitation on Tuesday, distributing more than 70 lakh enumeration forms on the first day alone, according to an official from the Election Commission.

This exercise, which began on November 4th, is set to continue until December 4th. On Wednesday, BLOs persistently worked, visiting homes across the state to ensure the distribution of enumeration forms.

The Election Commission's official spokesperson confirmed that the operation has been smooth thus far, with adequate security ensuring the safety of the BLOs. "No untoward incidents were reported on the first day. Should any BLO face resistance, we swiftly instruct district electoral officers to investigate," the official added.

The comprehensive effort involves 80,681 BLOs spread across West Bengal's 294 assembly constituencies. Approximately 7.66 crore enumeration forms have been prepared, with each voter receiving two copies. These forms are critical as both copies need to be countersigned by the BLO.

One filled form remains with the Election Commission of India, while the second, complete with a stamped acknowledgment, is returned to the voter for potential future reference. This SIR is pivotal, as the last intensive revision occurred in 2002.