Nationwide SIR Likely to Start Post Bihar Polls

A nationwide Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, similar on the lines of what was carried out in Bihar, is likely to take place before West Bengal goes to the elections next year.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Informed sources told The Sunday Guardian that with the Bihar assembly elections expected to conclude by November 2025 and West Bengal scheduled for May 2026, the nationwide SIR of electoral rolls is likely to take place between December 2025 and April 2026.

Keeping these timelines in mind, officials say there is a clear four-to-five-month window between the end of the Bihar polls and the start of the West Bengal election cycle, during which this period can be used to conduct the nationwide SIR.

To be sure, the Election Commission has not issued any official communication so far about this proposed nationwide exercise.

The timeline is considered feasible if one looks at past election schedules that were held amidst the Covid pandemic. In Bihar in 2020, the Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora announced the assembly poll schedule on 25 September, with voting held in three phases between 28 October and 7 November for 243 constituencies. In West Bengal in 2021, the schedule was announced on 26 February, polling was held in eight phases from 27 March to 29 April, and votes were counted on 2 May.