Bengal SIR: ECI declines proposal to accept Madhyamik admit cards for voter verification

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI), on Thursday, rejected a proposal to include admit cards issued by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) for the Madhyamik examinations in the list of documents for verification during the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

In a letter sent to Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer, an under-secretary in the commission wrote: “… it is noted that as per the Commission’s instructions issued vide letter dated 27. 10. 2025 for the conduct of SIR in West Bengal, the Madhyamik (Class X) admit card is not listed as an admissible document for verification purpose. In view of the above, the Commission is of the opinion that the proposal to accept the Madhyamik admit card as a valid document cannot be acceded to.”

According to sources, the CEO sought clarification from the poll body on whether the Madhyamik admit card could be regarded as the 14th SIR document. He had pointed out that during the ongoing SIR , many persons who did not clear the class X board exam furnished their Madhyamik admit cards that mentions their date of birth. Several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) informed their supervisors about the problems faced by several electors in producing other documents carrying birth details.

Presently, the Commission accepts matriculation/educational certificates issued by any recognised board/university as one of the 13 notified documents for SIR.

The 13 documents that can be presently used as proof of identity, age, or residence during the SIR verification process includes Identity card or Pension Payment Order from Central/State Government or PSU, Government-issued identity card, certificate, or document from a local authority, bank, post office, LIC, or PSU before July 1, 1987, birth certificate issued by a competent authority, passport issued by the Government of India, matriculation or educational certificate from a recognised board or university, permanent residence certificate from the competent state authority, Forest Right Certificate issued by an authorised agency, OBC/SC/ST or caste certificate issued by the competent authority, record from the National Register of Citizens (NRC) where applicable, family register prepared by state or local authorities, land or house allotment certificate issued by the government. Aadhaar card is accepted only as proof of identity, not citizenship.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Barrackpore MP Partha Bhowmick said the EC was working in a whimsical manner.

“If the Madhyamik admit card is not valid, what is valid? The EC is working with the singular aim of deleting as many names from the voter list as possible” he added.