In a major development ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission (EC) has reported significant progress in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in West Bengal. Out of approximately 60 lakh ‘under consideration’ voters, the commission has already settled the data of 52 lakh individuals.

The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal released the 8th additional list under the SIR process on Friday. This latest list settled nearly 3 lakh voter entries, leaving around 8 lakh applications still pending. The Commission has assured that the remaining verification will be completed before April 6, the final date for filing nominations for the first phase of elections.

The process is being overseen by 705 judges following Supreme Court guidelines. While the EC processes data within 4 to 6 hours after receiving judicial inputs, the situation remains politically volatile. Reports of protests and the gherao of judges in districts like Malda have prompted concerns from the Apex Court. To ensure a free and fair election, the EC has issued stern directives to Bengal’s top bureaucrats and police officials for strict neutrality.