Kolkata: The Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls will begin in West Bengal on Tuesday, amid soaring political temperatures over the routine administrative exercise in the state.

The exercise turned into a political battleground, pitting the BJP's clout and the poll body's push for "transparency" against the TMC's grassroots resistance ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.

While the BJP has welcomed the SIR as a step towards ensuring greater transparency in the electoral rolls, the ruling TMC has questioned its timing and intent, alleging that the Election Commission (EC) is acting under pressure from the saffron party to manipulate the voter list ahead of the state elections next year.

With both parties treating the SIR as a prelude to the 2026 Assembly

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