West Bengal CEO stays mum on SIR, holds training session for booth-level officers
The training, organised for Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), Supervisors and Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from various Assembly constituencies, comes ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled for 2026.
However, addressing queries from journalists on whether an SIR would be undertaken for West Bengal's electoral rolls, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal said that any such decision lies with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
'If SIR happens, the ECI will notify. Whether SIR will happen, when it will happen, when it will be declared — these are not in my jurisdiction,' Mr. Agarwal said.
Notably, the CEO West Bengal website currently displays the 2002 electoral roll of certain districts of West Bengal from the last SIR in the State, a detail that gains relevance in the context of Bihar, where the 2003 roll has been set as a reference point for submission of identification documents in the ongoing SIR.
Clarifying further, Mr. Agarwal added that each BLO is expected to conduct one SIR in their service tenure, but the training conducted on Saturday should not be construed as an indication of an impending SIR in the State.
'Every BLO has to conduct one SIR in their lifetime. SIRs have been conducted many times in the past. It was carried out between 1952 and 2004. The training session held today does not indicate SIR. If SIR is carried out in the State, the ECI, which is a constitutional body, will notify the list of identification documents that will suffice,' the CEO said.
He also noted that in Bihar, BLOs have been instructed to go door to door to distribute, assist with, collect, digitise, and submit enumeration forms via the BLO app.
'However, I do not know whether the same will be for West Bengal,' Mr. Agarwal said.
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About the Author Nivedita Singh Nivedita Singh is a data journalist and covers the Election Commission, Indian Railways and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. She has nearly seven years of experience in the news media. She tweets @ More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : election Jagdeep Dhankhar vice president view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 30, 2025, 08:00 IST News india With VP Polls On Horizon, How One Vote Blocked KR Narayanan's Unopposed Win In 1992 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
