1st stage of SIR in Bengal begins with 32.06 pc of current voters’ list matching 2002 roll so far

KOLKATA — The first phase of the three-stage Special Intensive Revision (SIR) by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in West Bengal begins from Tuesday with just 32.06 per cent of the names in the current voters’ list existing in the 2002 electroal roll as per the findings of the “mapping and matching” so far between the two lists.

The voter’s list for 2002, the last time the SIR was conducted in the state, has been taken as the base for the current SIR. The “mapping and matching” of the names is continuing.

“The total number of voters in West Bengal in the current voters’ list is around 7.66 crore. As per the ‘mapping and matching’ done so far, the names of less than 2.46 crore voters have been found, whose names or their parents’ names were found in the voters’ list for 2002,” pointed out an insider from the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO).

However, he added, the final figure might differ after the “mapping and matching” task is fully completed.

As per the norms, the voters in the current list who have either their names or their parents’ names in the 2002 list will be automatically considered as genuine voters, and they would not have to submit any other supporting document, except the duly filled enumeration forms, to retain their names in the new voters’ list.

However, those not having their names in the 2002 list will have to provide any one of the documents mandated by ECI for that purpose. Although the Aadhaar card has been included in the list of such documents, the ECI has made it clear that only the Aadhaar card will not be enough, and the voter concerned will have to furnish any one of the 11 other documents specified by the ECI.

Aadhaar will neither be treated as a citizenship proof nor an age proof.

The SIR will be conducted in three stages. In the first stage, the BLOs will reach every doorstep with the enumeration forms and collect the details of the voters concerned. At the end of the first stage, the draft voters’ list in the state will be announced.

Then, in the second stage, any political party or individual voter will be able to register their complaints on the draft list, which will be addressed by the ECI.