Bengal SIR: ECI explains reasons behind appointment of 2,000 new micro-observers

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced plans to deploy 2,000 additional micro-observers in West Bengal to assist with the hearing sessions on claims and objections to the draft voters’ list.

The move comes as part of a broader effort to ensure accuracy and transparency in the finalisation of the state’s electoral rolls ahead of the 14 February deadline.

An official from the chief electoral officer’s (CEO) office explained that the decision was prompted not only by the sheer volume of “logical discrepancy” cases uncovered during “progeny mapping” — which total nearly nine lakh — but also by the diverse nature of these discrepancies. In some instances, voters were flagged for multiple types of inconsistencies, requiring careful scrutiny to safeguard both genuine and fraudulent entries.

“With a fixed deadline to finalise the hearing sessions, the commission aims to ensure that no genuine voter is left out and no bogus voter remains on the rolls,” the official said. “A thorough examination of each discrepancy is essential, making the appointment of additional micro-observers necessary.”

Training for the newly appointed micro-observers will begin on 15 January, with immediate deployment to various hearing centres across the state. These officers will be drawn from central government staff, as well as employees of central public sector undertakings and public sector banks, spanning Group A and Group B categories.

The ECI clarified that the additional appointments are specific to West Bengal and do not apply to other states or union territories where Special Intensive Revisions (SIRs) are ongoing. Last week, the commission had also appointed four additional special roll observers for the state, whose key responsibility will include reviewing the performance of micro-observers during hearings.

In a recent directive, the ECI warned micro-observers in West Bengal that any deliberate deviation from prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs) would attract strong disciplinary action, reinforcing the emphasis on impartial and meticulous scrutiny.

With IANS inputs