West Bengal’s electoral watchdog is leaving no room for disorder in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls for 2026. CEO Manoj Agarwal has mandated immediate FIR registration by district officials against any threats to law and order at SIR hearing venues or offices.
Backed by the Supreme Court’s January 19, 2026, directive in WP(C) No. 1089/2025, these instructions align with Election Commission guidelines. The court intervened after pleas exposed flaws in the process, where 13.6 million voters received notices for data mismatches, leading to public outcry.
Judicial orders focused on transparency measures: displaying flagged voters openly, facilitating proof submissions, and permitting hearing attendance. Agarwal’s note spells out responses to violations—prompt police action, FIR sharing with superiors, potential indefinite suspensions of sessions, and penalties for foot-dragging on complaints.
This comes as the state eyes assembly elections next spring. The SIR seeks to rectify historical voter list errors, a task the ECI deems essential. Trinamool leaders decry it as targeted politics, but authorities prioritize a disruption-free environment to uphold electoral integrity amid heightened stakes.