New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to exercise “extra caution” during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal, alleging that the Mamata Banerjee government has issued a large number of “backdated” and “forged” documents to bolster voter registration of illegal infiltrators.
In a detailed memorandum submitted to the ECI, the BJP alleged that the state’s flagship scheme “Duare Sarkar” — launched to deliver welfare services at people’s doorsteps — is being “misused to provide documentation to illegal infiltrators from across the border.”
“Numerous field reports indicate that since 2020, there has been an exponential increase in the number of certificates issued under these drives. Many of these are being used to create a false trail of citizenship and residence, thereby undermining the purpose of the SIR — to ensure only genuine citizens are enrolled as voters,” the BJP said in its submission.
BJP Lists Documents That Need “Caution”
The BJP asked the Election Commission to treat West Bengal as a special case and apply stricter scrutiny to documents submitted for voter verification.
It listed the following categories of documents as requiring extra caution:
- Birth Certificates
- Permanent Residence Certificates
- Forest Rights Certificates
- Caste Certificates
- Family Registers
- Land and House Allotment Certificates
According to the BJP, these documents have been allegedly “manipulated and issued in bulk” since 2020 through Duare Sarkar and similar welfare camps.
BJP Suggests Additional Proofs for Verification
The party also suggested that the Election Commission demand two additional documents to establish authenticity of voter claims:
- Record of Rights (Land Khatians) issued before the first Duare Sarkar camp in 2020, including formal mutations in names of direct descendants.
- PROFLAL (Provident Fund for Landless Agricultural Labourers) registrations completed before the last SIR, limited to direct descendants.
Specific Recommendations and Cut-Off Dates
The BJP memorandum included a set of specific recommendations for document validation:
- Birth Certificates: Should not be accepted if issued after June 24, 2025, citing a surge in “delayed and backdated” registrations.
- Permanent Residence Certificates: Should be valid only if issued and signed by Group-A officers and cross-verified with the issuing authority.
- Forest Rights Certificates: Only those issued before April 2, 2025, should be considered valid due to alleged irregularities in later issuances.
- OBC-A Caste Certificates: Certificates issued between 2011 and 2024 should be disregarded, as the party claims many were given to “illegal infiltrators.” This issue, it noted, is currently pending before the Calcutta High Court.
- Family Registers: Should not be accepted if prepared after June 24, 2025, or if linked to MGNREGA databases, alleging these are “poorly maintained and prone to manipulation.”
BJP Leaders Submit Memorandum to EC
The memorandum was submitted by a delegation comprising Samik Bhattacharya, Amit Malviya, and Biplab Deb, who requested the poll body to treat the Special Intensive Revision process in West Bengal as a ‘special case’ requiring additional verification steps.
“The integrity of the electoral roll in West Bengal is at stake. Only genuine citizens should be included as voters,” the delegation emphasized.
Political Reactions: Trinamool Hits Back
The BJP’s move has escalated the ongoing political confrontation over the voter list revision process. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) responded sharply, accusing the BJP of trying to discredit welfare schemes and suppress legitimate voters.
A senior TMC leader asserted that the Special Intensive Revision would be “opposed both on the streets of Bengal and in Delhi.”
The war of words comes ahead of crucial electoral updates in the state, where both parties are locked in a fierce battle over voter authenticity, migration, and administrative transparency.