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The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began in West Bengal on Tuesday, days after the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the extension of the process to 12 states and Union territories under the second phase of the exercise.

SIR Phase 2 Covers 12 States and UTs

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar had announced on October 27, after completing the process in poll-bound Bihar, that Phase 2 of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) would cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Of these, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala and West Bengal are scheduled to hold Assembly elections in 2026.

Kumar said that the process begins immediately, with voters being matched against the 2002, 2003 or 2004 electoral rolls — depending on the last SIR conducted in the respective states.

He also stated that the draft rolls will be published on 9 December, followed by the final rolls on 7 February 2026.

“The second phase will cover 51 crore voters,” the CEC said, adding that the existing voter lists in these states and UTs were frozen as of 27 October.

Purpose and Timeline of the Exercise

The SIR aims to verify voter eligibility. The Election Commission, however, does not have the authority to determine citizenship, according to a PTI report.

In West Bengal, the house-to-house enumeration will continue until 4 December, followed by the publication of draft rolls on 9 December. Citizens can submit claims and objections between 9 December and 8 January 2026.

Notices, hearings and verifications will be carried out from 9 December to 31 January, and the final electoral rolls will be published on 7 February.

How to Check Your Name in the West Bengal SIR 2002 List

Eligible voters must search for their names in the electoral roll from the last intensive revision conducted around two decades ago. You can check through the official website: https://ceowestbengal.wb.gov.in/.

Steps to follow:

• Close the pop-up and click on “Electoral Roll of SIR 2002”.
• A list of 21 districts from Coochbehar to Birbhum will appear.
• Select the relevant district, for example, Coochbehar.
• Choose the Assembly constituency, such as Mekhliganj.
• A list of polling stations will appear. Select the relevant one and click “Final Roll”.
• Enter the captcha code to open a PDF of the final roll.

The document, under “Nirvachak Talika (Electoral Roll 2002)”, lists electors along with the names of their father or husband and includes details such as:

• Serial number
• House number
• Elector’s name
• Relation and related person’s name
• Gender
• Age
• Photo ID card number

What If Your Name Is Missing?

If your name does not appear in the 2002 list, you will still have an opportunity to be included. The process unfolds in two stages:

Matching and Draft Publication: Eligible voters’ names are first matched with the old electoral rolls from 2002–2005. Based on this, the draft rolls will be published on 9 December.

Verification and Inclusion: If your name, or that of your parents or relatives, does not appear in the draft list, you will receive a notice to verify your eligibility. You must then submit valid documents to prove your identity, age and residence.

Documents Accepted for Verification

The Election Commission allows a broad range of documents to establish eligibility, including:

• Identity cards or pension payment orders issued to regular employees or pensioners of the Central or State government or any PSU.
• ID cards, certificates or documents issued by the Indian government, banks, local authorities or PSUs.
• Birth certificates, passports, or educational certificates from recognised boards or universities.
• Permanent resident certificates, Forest Rights Certificates, or caste certificates (OBC, ST or SC).
• National Register of Citizens (NRC) documents, where applicable.
• Family registers prepared by State or local authorities.
• Government-issued land or house allotment certificates.

When Will the Final Rolls Be Released?

After the verification and hearings conclude, the final electoral rolls for West Bengal will be published on 7 February 2026, marking the completion of Phase 2 of the Special Intensive Revision process.