SIR: Ensure removal of ‘dual voters’, demands ‘Bangla Pokkho’

Kolkata: As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls continues across West Bengal, pro-Bengali advocacy organisation Bangla Pokkho has submitted a formal demand to District Magistrate (DMs) offices across the state, seeking the identification and removal of voters who are allegedly enrolled in more than one state.

Citing the Representation of the People Act, 1950, Bangla Pokkho general secretary Garga Chattopadhyay said that the Constitution clearly prohibits an individual from being a registered voter in two states simultaneously. While expressing support for the ongoing SIR process, the organisation argued that, alongside dead and fake voters, “dual voters” are equally damaging to the democratic system in West Bengal.

Elaborating on the allegation, Chattopadhyay claimed that during elections in states such as Bihar, industrial belts of Kolkata, Hooghly, Asansol,Durgapur and even parts of Greater Siliguri witness a visible exodus of Hindi-speaking migrant workers returning to their home states to vote. According to Bangla Pokkho, many among them continue to retain their names in West Bengal’s electoral rolls as well.

The organisation further alleged that such individuals are not only voting illegally but are also availing benefits of state government welfare schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, Kanyashree and Rupashree, which, it claimed, amounts to misuse of public funds. Bangla Pokkho has demanded that all such “dual voters” cancel their West Bengal voter cards.

Referring to the ongoing enumeration under SIR, Chattopadhyay said that many suspected dual voters have refrained from submitting their forms due to fear.

“This fear is good. But those who still submit forms and want to remain voters of two states like criminals, we will identify them and take steps accordingly,” he said.

Bangla Pokkho also pointed out that Bengalis migrating to other states are rarely accused of illegal voting there, questioning why West Bengal’s electoral regulations should remain “so lax.” The organisation has been campaigning to create awareness among such voters and plans to pursue case-by-case criminal complaints if violations are detected after the SIR process concludes.