The hearing phase for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls has commenced in West Bengal today. A total of 3234 hearing centers have been set up across the state. In the first phase, around 32 lakh unmapped voters, those who are unable to establish a linkage with the 2002 electoral roll, will be called for hearings. Voters will be allowed to submit any of 12 recognised documents, including the Aadhaar card. However, the Aadhaar card alone will not be considered as a standalone document.

The Election Commission has clearly warned that submission of fake or forged documents will be treated as a punishable offence. The state’s Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar Agrawal, has said that all preparations for the hearings have been completed. The hearings will be conducted under strict supervision by more than four thousand 500 micro-observers. Apart from authorised personnel such as the ERO, AERO, BLO, and observers, no one will be allowed inside the hearing centres. It has also been announced that photo documentation will be carried out at every center during the hearings.