Alipurduar leads Bengal in SIR form distribution and digitisation

Alipurduar: According to data released by the Election Commission, Alipurduar district has emerged as the frontrunner in Bengal in the distribution, submission and digitisation of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) forms. Despite ongoing controversies surrounding the process statewide, the SIR initiative in Alipurduar is progressing at an exceptional pace.

As of the morning of November 24, the district recorded the highest percentage of digitisation work completed in the state, standing at 62.16 per cent. Purba Bardhaman currently holds the second position with 62.04 per cent completion. Alipurduar has 12,99,486 registered voters, of whom 12,98,708 have already received SIR forms—an impressive 99.94 per cent distribution rate. Of these, 8,07,716 forms have been collected and digitised, accounting for 62.16 per cent of the total electorate.

District Magistrate R Vimala said the administration’s proactive approach made the rapid progress possible. “We have supported our BLOs from the beginning—motivating them, ensuring high-speed internet access, and deploying additional manpower in remote areas. This success belongs to every BLO, every block official, and everyone involved. Many BLOs have already completed 100 per cent of their work, others are at 90 per cent, and we expect full completion within the next two to three days,” she said. Despite being a relatively small district population-wise, Alipurduar’s geography presents significant challenges. Large stretches of the district are covered by hills, dense forests, tea gardens and forest villages where mobile network connectivity is often unreliable. This made the digitisation effort particularly demanding.

To support the process, SIR assistance centres—or “Vote Raksha Shibirs”—were set up at the booth level by the TMC. BLA-2 workers conducted training sessions and organised public camps, helping streamline data collection in difficult-to-access areas.

Speaking on the initiative, Sourav Chakraborty, BLA-1 of TMC in the district, said: “Our priority is to ensure that not a single legitimate voter’s name is left out of the SIR process. Workers across the district are actively assisting people at the booth level.”