Cooch Behar: The situation turned tense in Dinhata’s Poiatur Kuthi on Tuesday after residents of a former enclave refused to accept the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration forms, forcing Booth Level Officers (BLOs) of the Election Commission to leave the area.
The situation prompted North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha to personally intervene on Wednesday. Visiting the village, the minister met local residents and urged them to cooperate with the ongoing SIR process.
“The residents of these enclaves must take the enumeration forms. I have spoken to them directly and explained the importance of their participation,” Minister Guha said after his visit. The residents’ main objection stems from the absence of their names in the 2002 voter list — a result of their late inclusion as Indian citizens following the 2015 India-Bangladesh enclave exchange. They have demanded a clear guideline from the Election Commission before agreeing to take part in the revision process.
Minister Guha, however, assured them that no one’s rights would be compromised. “The BJP wants to exclude your names — don’t make the mistake of refusing the forms,” he cautioned. He further promised that BLOs would ensure every form is properly filled and submitted. The issue highlights the lingering administrative challenges faced by former enclave residents even a decade after the historic enclave exchange between India and Bangladesh. Under the 2015 agreement, 51 Bangladeshi enclaves were integrated into India and 111 Indian enclaves were transferred to Bangladesh.
Following the exchange, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared all residents of the 51 enclaves as Indian citizens from August 1, 2015. Although voter cards were later issued to them, many continue to face bureaucratic hurdles in accessing government schemes and maintaining inclusion in official records.