SIR In West Bengal: How to Verify Voter Documents After ECI's New PRC Rules Ahead of 2026 Elections

The West Bengal SIR update has started a fresh political and administrative debate after the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a formal notification tightening the rules for accepting Permanent Resident Certificates (PRC) in voter identity verification. The latest ECI PRC rule update comes amid controversy over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state and growing concern about documentation requirements before the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

Key Changes in ECI's PRC Verification Rules

Under the new framework, a PRC is valid for voter verification, but it is no longer treated as automatic proof of residence. The Election Commission of India has introduced three strict conditions:

PRCs must be issued by an Authorized signatories only like District Magistrate (DM), Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Subdivisional Officer (SDO), or the Collector of Kolkata to be accepted.

Electoral officers must act strictly under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, ensuring legal scrutiny during voter document verification.

Documents must comply with West Bengal government guidelines dated November 2, 1999, along with all subsequent amendments.

The ECI in January 2026 decision rejecting domicile certificates as proof of residence. Voters who earlier relied on domicile papers may now face fresh hearings and must submit updated PRC-compliant documents to remain on the electoral rolls.

Why the West Bengal SIR Exercise Is Controversial

The West Bengal SIR revision has evolved into a major political flashpoint. Authorities describe the process as an administrative clean-up of voter lists to remove inaccuracies caused by migration, deaths, or duplication over the past 23 years, noting that the last intensive revision occurred in 2002.

However, political leaders remain sharply divided. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has protested the voter list revision process, alleging distress among booth level officers (BLOs) and calling the exercise harsh and outdated.

Step-by-Step: How Voters Can Verify Documents Now

With the ECI PRC verification rules in force, voters in West Bengal should:

Step 1: Check PRC issuing authority to ensure it is signed by a DM, ADM, SDO, or Kolkata Collector.
Step 2: Confirm compliance with 1999 state guidelines and later amendments.
Step 3: Respond promptly to any ECI hearing notice if domicile certificates were previously submitted.
Step 4: Maintain updated identity and residence documents to avoid deletion during the SIR voter roll revision.