Archive · 31 Dec 2025
Bengal SIR Hearings Cause Distress
The West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) issued new rules to help elderly and sick voters.
They said these voters don't have to come to meetings if they ask not to.
The Trinamool Congress party had asked for this change earlier in the day.
The CEO also gave instructions on fixing errors in the voter list from 2002.
They said officials should visit these voters at home to check their details instead of making them come to meetings.
The party's leader, Abhishek Banerjee, was happy with this decision and asked for more help for senior citizens.
However, many voters, including elderly and sick individuals, faced long waits, lack of basic facilities, and other difficulties during the SIR hearings.
The Trinamool Congress criticized the SIR process, alleging it was causing distress and harassment, while the BJP defended the process as necessary for ensuring the integrity of the voter list.
Tragically, an 82-year-old man, Durjan Majhi, died by jumping in front of a train hours before his scheduled SIR hearing, reportedly due to anxiety over not being on the draft voters' list.
West Bengal CEO issued guidelines exempting elderly and sick voters from personal hearings upon request.
Trinamool Congress delegation met CEO to address concerns about SIR hearings for vulnerable voters.
CEO instructed district authorities to verify 'unmapped' voters at their residences instead of summoning them.
Data conversion errors from 2002 electoral rolls caused some voters to be 'unmapped' in the BLO app.
Voters reported long waits, lack of basic facilities, and other difficulties during SIR hearings.
An 82-year-old man, Durjan Majhi, died by jumping in front of a train hours before his scheduled SIR hearing, reportedly due to anxiety over not being on the draft voters' list.
- Who
- Voters, Trinamool Congress delegation, West Bengal CEO, Election Commission, Durjan Majhi (deceased)
- What
- Issuance of guidelines on 'unmapped' voters, meeting to address SIR hearing concerns, reports of distress during SIR hearings, and a fatal incident related to SIR hearings
- When
- Monday, December 29, and ongoing
- Where
- Kolkata, West Bengal, and various hearing centers across the state, including Purulia
- Why
- To address concerns about elderly/sick citizens, data conversion errors in electoral rolls, and ensure the integrity of the voter list
Trinamool Congress
BJP
SIR Process
Trinamool Congress
The SIR process is causing unnecessary distress and should be conducted with more consideration for vulnerable voters, including home visits and virtual hearings.
BJP
The SIR process is necessary for ensuring the integrity of the voter list and should be carried out as planned.
- Delegation Members
- Partha Bhowmick, Bapi Haldar, Shashi Panja, Pulak Roy, Birbaha Hansda
- Meeting Location
- West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's office, Kolkata
- ECI Official Met
- Manoj Kumar Agarwal
- Key Demands
- House visits for elderly/sick, BLA presence, virtual hearings
- Next Steps
- CEO to discuss with Chief Election Commissioner
- Vulnerable Voters
- Aged 85+, sick, or persons with disabilities
- Data Conversion Issue
- Errors in 2002 electoral rolls conversion to CSV format
- Verification Process
- Field verification by BLOs, photographs, and uploads
- High-Rise Booths Meeting
- Scheduled for Tuesday with district election commissioners
- Deadline for High-Rise Lists
- December 31
- Victim's Name
- Durjan Majhi
- Victim's Age
- 82
- Victim's Occupation
- Day labourer
- Hearing Location
- Para Block Development Officer's (BDO) office
- Notice Date
- December 25
Sources
SIR in Bengal: Trinamool delegation asks ECI to address concerns of sick & elderly citizens
SIR hearings triggers concern for the elderly in Siliguri
Bengal CEO issues guidelines on ‘unmapped’ voters; Abhishek Banerjee welcomes move
No BLAs to be allowed during SIR hearing session: ECI
Abhishek Banerjee welcomes ECI's decision to conduct SIR hearings at residences of select categories of voters
Hearing means torture for many as SIR drives voters to distress - Telegraph India
Bengal SIR: Long waits, no basic facilities, unpleasant hearing ordeal by voters - Telegraph India
Mamata Banerjee’s query on nationality test in SIR highlights alleged Bengali marginalisation - Telegraph India
Meeting today on booths at high-rises as EC presses district election commissioners for lists
Can Telangana expect clarity on ‘SIR’ purification?
West Bengal polls important, people ready for change: Dilip Ghosh on Amit Shah’s visit
Bengal Election Prep And SIR In Focus On Amit Shah's 3-Day Kolkata Visit
ECI meet on finding high rises for setting up booths
SIR fear leads to elderly man’s death in Purulia, TMC to lodge FIR
TMC MLA acts on threat, halts voter roll hearing in Hooghly over bar on booth level activists
TMC MLA halts SIR hearings in Hooghly
Mamata Banerjee Counters Amit Shah, Questions Centre Over Pahalgam Attack Claims
SIR being conducted using AI, says Bengal CM Mamata: ‘Poor being tortured ahead of polls’
‘Dushasana has come to Bengal’: Mamata hits back at Amit Shah in fierce war of words
'Open hooliganism': BJP after ECI observer’s vehicle attacked in Bengal
Election Commission to issue notices to over 12 lakh voters in TN ahead of Assembly polls
Bengal SIR: ‘AI used to delete 54 lakh names' – Mamata Banerjee's big claim, threatens to gherao EC office in Delhi
82-year-old Purulia man jumps before train hours before SIR hearing, family flags anxiety - Telegraph India
Bengal man jumps before running train, dies ahead of SIR hearing
Trinamool govt promoting “illegal infiltration”, says Shah; Does infiltration happen only in Bengal?, Mamata hits out
BJP IT cell sitting in EC, using AI to delete voters’ names, says Mamata
TMC meets Bengal CEO, seeks home hearings for unmapped voters above 60
Bengal: EC official directs DEOs to submit proposals on setting up polling stations at high-rises
