Written by Sweety KumariKolkata | Updated: November 12, 2025 02:53 PM IST 3 min readSpecial Intensive Revision (SIR) officials distribute the SIR form in the Karimpur assembly constituency, in Nadia on Monday. (ANI Photo)The Election Commission of India (ECI), through the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) of Bengal, has launched a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls. As of 8 pm on November 11, more than 6.56 crore enumeration forms (85.71% of the total) have already been distributed across West Bengal. However, many eligible voters are asking one urgent question: Is my name safe?Being excluded from the final list (to be published on February 7, 2026) means immediate disenfranchisement until the next major revision in 2026. Senior officials have clarified that the SIR is a constitutional exercise, carried out under powers granted by Parliament. It is not a discretionary measure but a legal requirement to ensure accuracy and transparency in the voter list.Below is a detailed explanation of who may be excluded during the SIR, what that means for your voting rights, and the steps you can take to verify or appeal.Who might be excluded from the voter list during SIR?According to the Election Commission of India and senior officials at the Chief Electoral Office, West Bengal, inclusion or exclusion will be based strictly on eligibility and verification. The criteria for inclusion is being 18 years or older as of January 1, 2026, being a permanent resident of the constituency, and being a citizen of India.A voter’s name would be excluded if they have moved or relocated to another address, lacks valid documents, or is found to have mistakenly been included earlier.Additional CEO Arindam Neogi clarified that the authority for this revision lies with the Commission under laws enacted by Parliament. “The Election Commission is a Constitutional Body under Article 324 but not a law-making body,” he said. “It exercises powers granted by law and issues executive orders as necessary to maintain an accurate and error-free electoral roll.”What happens if your name is excluded?If your name is deleted during this SIR process, you will not be able to vote in any election held before the next major revision of voter rolls, which will take place in 2026.Story continues below this adYou can verify whether your name is on the voter list through contacting your assigned Booth Level Officer (BLO), or online, via the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s websites — https://voters.eci.gov.in/ and https://electoralsearch.eci.gov.in/. You can search using your EPIC Number (Voter ID Card number), personal details (name, spouse’s/parent’s name, date of birth, etc.), and mobile number (if linked to your voter ID).You can also call the ECI toll-free number 1950 for assistance.What can you do if your name is excluded?Officials have stressed that there is no reason for panic. Even if a voter’s name is excluded or a claim is rejected, the law provides three opportunities to appeal.If someone is not satisfied with the decision of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), they can appeal to the District Election Officer (DEO). If they remain dissatisfied, they can take their appeal to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state. In addition, during the period of claims and objections, new voters can still register, and existing voters can request corrections, before the final voter list is published on February 7, 2026.Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Election Commission of India