SIR In Maharashtra To Face Political Heat

As May 30 nears, political activity in Maharashtra is bound to intensify over the issue of the 2026 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, especially against the backdrop of the assembly election in West Bengal. For a variety of reasons, Maharashtra ‘s electoral rolls have become a major point of political clash. BJP leaders in the state have been demanding SIR’s implementation “to clear up bogus voters” on the electoral rolls. On the other hand, major Opposition parties have expressed concerns about the process and its impact on their own vote banks. Trading allegations of manipulation ahead of upcoming elections is expected to begin any moment now that the EC has come out with its timetable. But it will have the imprint of the apprehensions raised by the so-called Bengal Model. For instance, the Maharashtra Congress has expressed concerns that the SIR, being implemented after 22 years, is a “hurried” attempt to follow the pattern in West Bengal, where millions of names were deleted, raising doubts about fairness of the process. Certain Opposition leaders have alleged that the revision is aimed at selectively removing voters from specific communities and constituencies, particularly in major cities. The state-wide exercise will deploy over 3.94 lakh Booth Level Officers (BLOs). There is unease since the logistical hurdles that can occur as it runs parallel with census work will have to be handled by the government. The SIR to take off on May 30 will conclude on October 14. This door-to-door verification aims to clean up the electoral rolls. The BLOs will conduct house-to-house visits between June 30 and July 29, 2026.