Amid the political slugfest across the country over the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise in Bihar, speculations were running high that a similar exercise would be conducted in various states across India gradually, starting from West Bengal after Bihar.

Since the SIR has come under sharp criticism from the opposition parties, the chief ministers of non-BJP-ruled states have vowed to resist any such attempt.

However, the biggest question that lingered is when the SIR will be conducted in West Bengal. During the poll body press conference on Sunday, the Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar reacted responded to it saying that the date for the West Bengal SIR or in similar exercise in any other state will be decided by the three Commissioners.

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Kumar said, "The three Election Commissioners will decide when the exercise of SIR will be carried out in West Bengal or other states" Kumar apparently didn't proclaim the dates but didn't refute the possibility of it in the near future either.

The speculations about the West Bengal SIR soared after the poll body released the data from the last such exercise in 2002. Additionally, the assembly elections in the state are going to take place in 2026. 

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CM Mamata Banerjee has criticised the SIR, alleging that it is an attempt to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) from the backdoor.On July 21, she vowed to resist the SIR and warned the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) not to harass any citizen unnecessarily.

She said, "The ECI takes over only after the poll dates are announced. Until then, and even after that, the administration lies with the state government. You are employees of the state government. Do not harass any individual needlessly"