Permanent Resident Certificate Valid for SIR: ECI

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) is an admissible document for determining voter eligibility under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, amid the nationwide revision exercise being conducted across 12 States and Union Territories .

In a communication sent to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Friday, the Commission reiterated that the SIR guidelines issued on October 27, 2025 , explicitly recognise the Permanent Resident Certificate as a valid document. The clarification refers to earlier correspondence dated January 1 and January 12, 2026 .

The ECI said that Domicile or Permanent Resident Certificates in West Bengal are issued in accordance with a state government letter dated November 2, 1999 , and subsequent orders. It clarified that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) , who are statutory authorities under the Representation of the People Act, 1950 , must accept only those certificates issued by designated authorities such as the District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate, Sub-Divisional Officer and the Collector of Kolkata , and only if issued strictly in line with notified state guidelines.

The Commission has directed that these instructions be communicated to all concerned officers for strict compliance during the revision process.

The Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is being carried out in a phased manner across 12 States and Union Territories , including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The exercise aims to improve the accuracy of electoral rolls by verifying eligibility and updating voter details.

As per the SIR guidelines, the Election Commission has prescribed a list of admissible documents for establishing eligibility. These include the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC), Aadhaar card, passport, Permanent Resident or Domicile Certificate, birth certificate, school certificate or marksheet indicating date of birth, PAN card, driving licence, government service identity card, pension documents, ration card, property-related documents, recent electricity, water or telephone bills for address proof, bank or post office passbooks, and certificates issued by local authorities as permitted under ECI norms. The Commission has emphasised that only documents issued by competent and notified authorities will be accepted.