ECI announces second phase of SIR exercise: Here are all the key dates

On Monday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has rolled out the schedule for the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise during a presser, targeting voter rolls across 12 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal.

According to the poll panel, the revision exercise will be conducted in a structured, multi-phase timeline stretching into early 2026.

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ECI's timeline for draft and final electoral rolls

The ECI outlined the following schedule for the second phase of the SIR:

Printing/Training: October 28 to November 3

House-to-house enumeration phase: November 4 to December 4

Publication of draft electoral rolls: December 8

Claims and objection period: December 9 to January 8, 2026

Notice phase: December 9 to January 31, 2026

Publication of final electoral rolls: February 7, 2026

BJP condemns Mamata Govt's mass transfer of officers before ECI meet

Notably, just hours before the Election Commission of India’s presser, the West Bengal government transferred 64 IAS officers, including 17 district magistrates, and 457 WBCS officers.

"It was expected that after the SIR announcement, the ECI would move those district magistrates who have held the post for more than three years. So, before the ECI could do that, the state administration transferred them to avoid controversy," a senior Bengal state official told the Indian Express.

However, the BJP strongly condemned WB CM Mamata Banerjee's move and called it a “gross violation.”

ALSO READ| Bengal government transfers 64 top officers including 10 DMs hours before Election Commission SIR presser

"Our Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party’s national secretary Abhishek Banerjee were the first to demand correction in the voter's list. But in the name of SIR if someone is planning to delete names of genuine voter’s name then it won’t be tolerated," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh fired back, per ANI.

"I would ask people of the state not to fall into the trap of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). BJP is saying if some genuine voter’s name is deleted then they will help in person in getting the name included. Why will any genuine voter’s name be deleted?"

Interestingly, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar urged the WB government to "follow" the Constitution and never go "against" it.