Overview

• A central ECI team led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti completed a two‑day review in Kolkata, probing district mapping, BLO recruitment and on‑ground logistics.
• Officials told districts to finish SIR groundwork between October 11 and 15, signaling a likely start soon after, and pressed for enumeration forms to be printed in advance.
• The Commission set rapid printing benchmarks within days of notification—reported targets ranged from 20% in three to four days to 30% in four to five days—and warned lapses would invite disciplinary action.
• Instructions called for strict tiered supervision from BLO to DM, greater use of ECI apps, and digital record‑keeping; North Bengal officers were excused for disaster relief duties with separate reviews to follow.
• The legal and political backdrop sharpened, with Congress alleging opacity in Bihar’s SIR, the Supreme Court seeking data on excluded voters, and EC affidavits confirming a nationwide rollout with Aadhaar accepted only as identity.