West Bengal Begins Training of ADMs & EROs for Special Intensive Revision Ahead of 2026 Elections

The Election Commission has kicked off training sessions for Additional District Magistrates (ADMs) and Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) in West Bengal as part of its preparations for the upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. This process aims to ensure clean and updated electoral lists as assembly elections approach in May 2026. The training, led by West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, will later roll out to Block-Level Officers (BLOs), who will help voters fill out SIR forms at their homes. Key focus areas during the training include comparing older voter lists (2002) with current ones to spot duplicates or missing entries, especially among senior citizens. Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti is expected to visit Bengal in the next few days to review preparations. Officials say that sufficient staffing is essential; they plan to address this through either hiring or deploying staff from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) to boost capacity. Meanwhile, training for ERO-level officers is set to begin immediately, with emphasis on virtual sessions so that participants from remote districts can join without delay. The CEO’s office held a virtual meeting recently to update electoral officers across districts on area mapping and other technical aspects of the revision process. The SIR process, as per sources, is expected to formally start in October, likely after the major autumn festivals. Ensuring accuracy in the provisional voter list before the polls is seen as crucial, especially given Delhi’s concerns, the state’s border areas, and debates around voter rights. In a related development, a contractual female worker at Panskura Super Speciality Hospital in East Midnapore has accused her manager of rape and threats. The woman claims she was threatened with being killed and losing her job if she disclosed the incidents. Police have arrested the accused; investigations are ongoing. Authorities say this incident underscores broader concerns about safety of healthcare workers, especially those employed on contract. Also in focus: TMC MP Samirul Islam visited Birbhum district, meeting the families of Sunali Khatun and Sweety Bibi, who were reportedly detained in Rohini, Delhi, and later pushed across into Bangladesh without court orders. The Bengal government is seeking their repatriation via legal action in the Calcutta High Court and Supreme Court. Once they return, housing support under the Banglar Bari scheme has been promised.