Students, hospitalised citizens, military personnel get exemption from SIR hearings

The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, has issued a series of directives aimed at simplifying the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process for electors currently staying outside the state. According to the latest orders dated January 8, 2026, several categories of voters are now exempted from personally attending hearings related to "unmapped and logical discrepancy" cases. This move is expected to bring significant relief to those who previously had to travel long distances back to their home districts for administrative verification.

The exemption specifically applies to students, individuals undergoing hospitalization, and private sector employees who are temporarily away from West Bengal. Furthermore, a separate notification extends this facility to government employees, military and paramilitary personnel, and PSU employees posted outside the state. The CEO's office clarified that the decision was taken to ensure that no legitimate elector is left out of the revision process due to the constraints of their professional or academic commitments.

Under the new guidelines, family members of such electors are permitted to attend the hearings on their behalf. To do so, they must present documents proving their relationship with the elector and submit any one of the 13 ECI-notified documents as proof. These guidelines follow the standards established by the Election Commission of India in October 2025, ensuring that the integrity of the verification process is maintained while making it more accessible to the public.