ECI clears CAA certs as valid proof for voter registration

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has clarified that citizenship certificates issued under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will be accepted as valid documents for voter registration, a move that may have political ramifications in West Bengal. The decision is expected to benefit the Matua community, as the CAA certificate was not initially part of the ECI’s standard document list. The clarification comes amid protests and fears of a backlash against the BJP over Matua votes during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, particularly after BJP leader Shantanu Thakur triggered controversy by stating he was “okay” if one lakh Matua names were deleted. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has also alleged that money was taken to issue CAA certificates. The Commission has said that although the draft electoral list has been released, Matuas who have recently obtained citizenship can apply afresh by submitting Form 6.

A key element of the decision relates to the “no mapping” issue, under which voters whose names or family links do not appear in the 2002 electoral rolls face deletion. In such cases, the CAA certificate will serve as the required linkage, as it contains detailed personal and background information sufficient to establish eligibility for inclusion in the final voter list. The move follows a recent Supreme Court observation by a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Jaymalya Bagchi, which reiterated that voting rights are contingent on confirmed citizenship, stressing that citizenship must be granted before CAA applicants can be considered for inclusion in voter rolls. TMC MP Mamata Bala Thakur questioned why the Commission continues to demand 11 other documents while not prioritising Aadhaar, while BJP leader Jagannath Chatterjee welcomed the move, saying that around 70,000 people have already applied for CAA and their inclusion in the voter list marks a victory for refugee rights.