EC tweak: More new voters to attend hearings before enrolment in West Bengal

KOLKATA: Election Commission has tightened the norms for enrolment of new voters, making it mandatory for the applicants to submit Annexure IV, which partly resembles the SIR enumeration form, and introducing more red flags that would lengthen the list of people to be called to a hearing.


Earlier, a citizen would only have to submit Form 6, a self-declaration and a photocopy of his or her Aadhaar.



In the new system, which kicked in on Dec 16, applicants are required to submit Annexure IV, along with Form 6 and a self-declaration. The lower half of Annexure IV is identical to Annexure III, which is the enumeration form issued for the special intensive revision of the electoral rolls.


“In Annexure IV, an applicant has to write his/her parental linkage as mentioned in the draft SIR list of Bengal published on Dec 16 or the last SIR roll of any other state or UT,” an EC official said.


Along with the forms, the applicants have to submit one or more documents from a list notified by EC as proof of identity, date of birth, address and citizenship. The poll panel has made it clear that Aadhaar would only be treated as proof of identity. Since 2022, and till the new system kicked in, an Aadhaar card had been enough to get one’s name on the voters’ list.


Earlier, most applicants would not face a hearing. Now, the number of applicants to be called to a hearing will increase.


Applicants whose parents are unmapped (their names don’t figure on the draft SIR roll that was published on Dec 16 or the last SIR list of any other state/UT) will be called to a hearing. Also, if the SIR forms of parents contain logical discrepancies, their wards will be called to a hearing if they apply to get enrolled as new voters,” an EC official said.


The hearing will be conducted by the election registration officer or additional ERO concerned.


If an application for enrolment comes on or before Jan 15, 2026, and the applicant clears the hearing by Feb 7, 2026, the name will be included in the final voters’ list to be published on Feb 14. Those who will turn 18 on Jan 1, 2026, are eligible to apply for inclusion of their names in the electoral list.


Immediately after the draft SIR roll was published on Tuesday, BLOs started distributing Form 6 (for enrolment of new voters) and Form 8 (for correction of voters’ details on the list).

(With inputs from Poulami Roy Banerjee)