The Election Commission has launched a state-wide drive in West Bengal to restore eligible citizens’ names to the voter list, with Booth Level Officers (BLOs) instructed to visit households, assist with Form 6 applications and organise neighbourhood camps.
The initiative follows the completion of the state’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The report by Sangbad Pratidin said the final rolls showed that some eligible citizens had been left out for different reasons, while some new voters had not been able to register. The Election Commission’s stated objective is to ensure that no eligible elector is excluded from the rolls.
The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal said on October 12 that all 24 District Election Officers had begun a proactive campaign in accordance with instructions from the Election Commission of India. The announcement was also shared by the Chief Electoral Officer’s official account on social media.
Under the process outlined by the commission, BLOs will compare voter lists from before and after the SIR exercise to identify eligible people who have not been included. Officials will then visit the homes of deleted or unlisted voters, assess their current circumstances and help eligible applicants complete Form 6 for inclusion in the electoral roll.
The commission is also planning booth-level camps in neighbourhoods so that residents can submit applications without waiting for a house visit. Citizens with complaints or questions have been directed to approach the relevant BLO, Assistant Electoral Registration Officer, Electoral Registration Officer or District Election Officer.
The commission has reiterated that inclusion in the electoral roll is a continuous process and is not restricted to a single deadline. That provision is significant for both people omitted during the revision exercise and citizens who become eligible to register later, although the report did not provide a district-wise count of excluded voters or a deadline for the current campaign.
The outreach plan specifically includes people who may be difficult for election officials to reach through conventional household-based processes. Camps are to be organised at night shelters, labour colonies and locations inhabited by homeless or itinerant people. The stated purpose is to identify marginalised residents and help eligible citizens apply for registration.
The voter-roll process has become a politically contentious issue in West Bengal. The report said allegations of irregularities in deleting and restoring names had been raised by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while her party had announced a demonstration at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata. The Election Commission’s latest initiative comes amid that political tension and concern among citizens whose names were absent from the final rolls.
The next steps are the household visits, comparison of pre- and post-SIR rolls, neighbourhood camps and processing of Form 6 applications by the election authorities. The report did not specify when the campaign will end or when updated names will appear in the rolls.
