Five special observers will oversee West Bengal’s voter list revision, targeting deliberate data errors before crucial Assembly elections.
Kolkata
The five additional special roll observers appointed for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal will focus primarily on identifying deliberate data entry errors during the second stage of the revision, which begins after the publication of the draft voters’ list on December 16.
According to officials in the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office, West Bengal, the observers have been tasked not only with detecting specific intentional errors but also with identifying individuals within the system responsible for such lapses. They will subsequently recommend disciplinary action against those found culpable.
Sources said that the second phase of the SIR will also include a performance evaluation of Booth-Level Officers (BLOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), based on their effectiveness during the first stage of the revision.
The second stage will involve filing of claims and objections, along with a notice phase that includes issuance, hearing, verification, and decisions on enumeration forms. These activities will be conducted concurrently by EROs. Once this phase concludes, the third and final stage—publication of the final electoral roll—will take place on February 14. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is expected to announce the dates for the high-stakes West Bengal Assembly elections shortly thereafter.
Meanwhile, officials reported a major improvement in voter roll accuracy. As of Monday afternoon, the number of polling booths identified as having no deceased voters, no duplicate entries, and no shifted voters dropped dramatically to just two, compared to the alarming 2,208 booths reported on the evening of December 1. The sharp correction reflects intensified scrutiny and corrective measures initiated during the revision process. Separately, the ECI has decided to withdraw its proposal to set up polling booths inside large housing complexes with multiple high-rise towers.
