What You Need to Know About the Upcoming Voter Hearings in West Bengal

The Election Commission of India is gearing up for voter hearings in West Bengal, emphasizing the importance of verifying date of birth discrepancies. Starting December 27, the hearings will address unmapped and doubtful voters, ensuring a comprehensive voter list ahead of the crucial Assembly elections. With the final voter list set for publication on February 14, the ECI aims to maintain the integrity of the electoral process. Read on to learn more about the procedures and what voters can expect.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 25, 2025, 10:56 IST

Vigilance in Voter Hearings

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has instructed micro-observers assigned to oversee voter hearings to pay close attention to any discrepancies in the dates of birth (DOBs) recorded in their files compared to those provided by voters.

During a training session held on Wednesday, clear guidelines were communicated to the micro-observers regarding their responsibilities during these hearings.

Sources from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal elaborated that there may be instances during the hearings where the DOBs in the Commission's records do not align with those on the identity documents presented by voters.

In such situations, micro-observers are tasked with documenting these discrepancies and reporting them to their superiors for further examination after the hearings conclude.

Additionally, they have been advised to verify the claims made by voters against the supporting documents submitted during the sessions.

The goal is to ensure that the hearing process is thorough, guaranteeing that no legitimate voter is omitted from the final voter list while also preventing any fraudulent entries.

The initial phase of the hearings will commence on December 27, targeting unmapped voters—those lacking connections to the 2002 voter list through either 'self mapping' or 'progeny mapping.' This group consists of over 30 lakh individuals.

The second phase will address doubtful voters whose family tree data appears inconsistent in 'progeny mapping,' with approximately 1.36 crore such cases identified.

The last SIR (Special Identification Registration) exercise in West Bengal took place in 2002.

The draft voter list was released on December 16, with the final list set to be published on February 14 of the following year. Shortly thereafter, the ECI will announce the polling dates for the significant Assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled for next year.