West Bengal SIR: Name not in draft voters’ list? These are the documents you need to provide
Once the Election Commission publishes a draft electoral roll, those who have failed to establish a link with the 2002 voters’ list are likely to be called for a hearing.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will now publish a draft electoral roll on December 16.
The first phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal has ended. The Election Commission of India (ECI) will now publish a draft electoral roll on December 16, following which those who have failed to establish a link with the 2002 voters’ list will be called for a hearing.
If your name is not on the draft voters’ list, you will be asked to provide documents to prove you are an Indian citizen and an eligible voter. Here are the 11 documents that will be accepted:
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* Identity card as a state or central government employee or pension holder
* Documents provided by post office, bank, LIC or local authorities before 1987
* Birth certificate
* Passport
* Madhyamik or any other certificate of educational qualification
* Residential certificate given by any organisation under the state government
* Forest right certificate
* Caste certificate
* National Register of Citizens (only for Assam)
* Family register by local administration
* Land allotment or house allotment certificate given by the government.
Your Aadhaar card will not work as the sole identity document.
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What if your name is not in the draft electoral roll and you have not been called for any hearing?
According to the ECI, in such cases, you have to enrol your name in the voter list by filling Annexure-IV of Form 6.
If your name is in the 2002 SIR electoral roll, can you be called for a hearing?
According to the Election Commission, it is the Electoral Registration Officer’s discretion.
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If anybody produces fake documents, will the person be punished?
According to Section 337 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, anyone who forges documents can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
According to Election Commission sources, each and every form will be analysed using their application software, and all information provided by the elector will be studied. Based on this, it will be decided whether the person will be called for a hearing or not.
Earlier, the Election Commission of India had fixed the number of hearings at 50 per day in an Assembly constituency. However, the EC is now considering increasing the number. A senior ECI official said, “We have to complete all hearings within a stipulated time. So, if necessary, we may have to increase the number of hearings even beyond one hundred.”
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
