As of now, hearings are expected for around 32 lakh voters in West Bengal who could not be mapped through self or family members to the 2002 electoral roll. Hearings are also expected for a section of the 1.3 crore electors whose enumeration details are currently being reverified for logical discrepancies especially in progeny mapping with the 2002 list.
| Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI
The Election Commission of India is set to appoint roughly 4,000 micro-observers across West Bengal to oversee and scrutinise hearings in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise, according to sources in the office of the State’s Chief Electoral Officer.
The micro-observers, likely to be appointed from existing Group-B Central government employees, are set to work alongside the Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) across 294 Assembly constituencies in the State, during verification of electors called for hearing.
Sources said that micro-observers would check for any discrepancies in the verification process during hearings, and would report any red flags to EROs, AEROs and District Electoral Officers.
Additionally, a new software is also being developed for the purpose of electoral hearings, and is expected to assist EROs and AEROs to digitally record elector details collected during the verification process.
According to sources in the CEO’s office, the hearing process is likely to start from December 27, after notices are sent to concerned electors. The notice phase (issuance, hearings, and verification) will conclude on February 7, 2026, seven days before the final electoral roll for West Bengal is published.
As of now, hearings are expected for around 32 lakh voters in West Bengal who could not be mapped through self or family members to the 2002 electoral roll during the enumeration phase. Hearings are also expected for a section of the 1.3 crore electors whose enumeration details are currently being reverified for logical discrepancies especially in progeny mapping with the 2002 list.
Electors who receive notices for hearings would be expected to produce one or more documents mentioned in the Commission’s guidelines to cement their eligibility as voters. According to the indicative list of documents shared by the Commission earlier, electors can produce their birth certificates, education certificate, passport, caste certificates etc.
Published – December 20, 2025 01:49 am IST
