As West Bengal prepares for Basant Panchami, the traditional air of devotion and celebration is being stifled by a different kind of “SIR.” This year, the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has replaced festive cheer with a climate of anxiety, as millions of students and families find their holiday overshadowed by legal notices and verification hearings.
The coincidence of the massive voter “cleansing” exercise with the season of Saraswati Puja, the state’s premier festival for students—has sparked a bitter political row. Critics argue that at a time when the youth should be seeking the blessings of the Goddess of Learning, they are instead scrambling for birth certificates and school admit cards to prove their existence to the state.
A Festival of Documents
For many households, the puja pandals have been replaced by queues at Block Development Offices. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has flagged over 1.25 crore people for “logical discrepancies,” forcing families to spend the festive week navigating a complex bureaucratic maze.
Student Hardship: High school students, usually the primary celebrants of Saraswati Puja, are among the hardest hit. Many have been summoned to prove their age and “progeny” status due to technical flags in the system.
Administrative Strain: With the final voter list publication looming in February, officials are working through the holidays, leading to a visible lack of the usual administrative support for community puja organizers.
The SIR Controversy: A State Divided
The ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has become the most polarizing issue in Bengal ahead of the 2026 elections. Unlike regular annual updates, this intensive process seeks to cross-verify current data with records as old as 2002.
Key points of the controversy
The “Logical Discrepancy” Trap: The ECI has used software to flag millions based on “biologically implausible” data—such as children born less than 15 years after their parents. While the ECI calls this a necessary cleanup, the TMC government labels it “reckless profiling” of the poor.
The Death Toll Allegations: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently claimed that the “stress and strain” of the SIR has led to several deaths across the state, including suicides triggered by the fear of disenfranchisement.
Supreme Court’s Safety Net: On January 19, the Supreme Court stepped in, directing the ECI to publicly display the names of those flagged at local panchayat and ward offices. The court also ordered that Class 10 (Madhyamik) admit cards must be accepted as valid proof of age—a major relief for students during the puja season.
