Murshidabad: For 24 years, Sariyat Hossain guarded India’s borders. From Lucknow and Delhi to Kashmir, Kedarnath and Uttarkashi, the Indian Army constable served in some of the country’s most sensitive and difficult postings. He retired in 2013 after completing his service to the nation.
This week, in Domkal subdivision of Murshidabad, the former Army jawan found himself standing in a queue again—this time not to serve the country, but to prove his citizenship.
Retired Army Jawan Asked to Prove Citizenship in Murshidabad SIR Hearing
Sariyat Hossain, a resident of Kalupur under Domkal police station, received a notice related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, asking him to appear for a hearing and submit documents to establish his citizenship. The notice has sparked anger, disbelief and fear in the locality.
On Tuesday, the retired soldier arrived at the hearing centre carrying all the documents he had, his anxiety visible as he waited his turn. “Because of my job, I was posted outside for many years. So my name was not in the 2002 list,” he said. “I retired in 2013 and have been receiving my pension since then. When I joined the Army, a voter card was not necessary, so I never made one.”
He added that the absence of his name in the 2002 electoral roll prevented him from filling the entire enumeration form. “My parents died before 2002. We never even saw our grandfather—he too passed away long ago,” Hossain said.
Residents questioned the logic of issuing such a notice to a man who served the nation for over two decades. “If a former Army jawan is being asked to prove his citizenship again, what is left for ordinary people?” one local resident asked, describing the situation as humiliating and painful.
There has been no formal administrative response so far, though inquiries are reportedly underway regarding the validity of the notice and related documentation.
SIR Hearings Trigger Panic and Uncertainty Across Domkal Subdivision
Sariyat Hossain’s case is not an isolated one. A climate of fear and anxiety has gripped the Domkal subdivision of Murshidabad as hearings related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls continue.
Elderly, illiterate and marginalised residents are being summoned to the Sub-Divisional Officer’s office after their names were either missing from the draft voters’ list or flagged for alleged discrepancies. Many are struggling with the lack of documents, complex administrative requirements and the looming fear of being labelled “non-citizens,” pushing them into deep mental distress.
‘Will They Drive Me Out of the Country?’: Illiterate 75-Year-Old Breaks Down at SIR Hearing
The crisis is reflected starkly in the case of 75-year-old Marjia Bibi from Juginda Malopara under Domkal police station. Illiterate and never having attended school, Marjia lost both her parents long before 2002—the year from which the SIR verification is being scrutinised. As a result, their names never appeared in the 2002 electoral roll.
Officials say this is why Marjia’s name, too, was excluded from the SIR draft list. She received a hearing notice and appeared before the authorities at the SDO office on Tuesday.
The moment she noticed media cameras, Marjia broke down in tears. “My parents died long ago. That’s why their names aren’t in the 2002 list. Will they drive me out of the country now?” she asked in a trembling voice.
She explained that she did not possess a voter card while living at her father’s house. Her name was first included in the voters’ list only after her marriage, when she moved to her in-laws’ area.
On the day of the hearing, Marjia brought all the documents she had—Aadhaar, voter and ration cards. “I never went to school. Where will I get certificates from? I have brought whatever documents I have. The authorities must decide the rest,” she said.
Fear of Becoming ‘Non-Citizens’: Domkal Couple Summoned Despite Generations of Residence
In Domkal’s Bhatsala area, anxiety has become a constant companion for residents like Shankar Mal and his wife Suparna Mal. Although their names appear in the draft voters’ list, the couple has been summoned to the Sub-Divisional Office due to alleged discrepancies in documentation.
On Tuesday, they sat quietly at the SDO office, waiting for their hearing, fear and uncertainty etched on their faces. They admit they do not fully understand what being declared a “non-citizen” would mean, but one question continues to haunt them: can a person become an outsider in their own birthplace?
According to the couple, their family has lived in the locality for the past 70 to 80 years. “Our fathers and grandfathers lived and died here,” they said. Years ago, natural calamities destroyed their home, along with many old documents.
For the hearing, they brought their voter cards, Aadhaar cards and ration cards. However, they do not possess land records and other papers from the specific periods demanded by the authorities. “They are asking for papers from a time when our house itself didn’t exist. Everything was destroyed. Where will we find those documents?” Shankar Mal asked.
The SIR notice reportedly lists 13 types of documents to be submitted—most of which the couple does not have. The uncertainty surrounding the outcome has left them deeply worried.
‘After 66 Years, I Am Asked to Prove Citizenship’: Elderly Voter Queues for SIR Hearing
At an age when most people expect dignity and security, 66-year-old Ranjit Sarkar of Mahishya Para in Domkal now finds himself standing in a queue to prove his legitimacy as a voter.
Ranjit received a notice citing the absence of his name from the 2002 electoral roll and appeared for his scheduled hearing on Tuesday at the Domkal Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s office. “Today is my hearing day, so I’ve come. What else can I do? I am just an ordinary citizen. The Commission officials will do whatever they think is right,” he said.
Born in Kathlamari Mohanganj under Raninagar police station, Ranjit moved to Domkal in 1975 and has been registered in the area’s electoral rolls since then. He claims that not only his name, but those of his father and grandfather, appeared in voter lists prior to 2002.
“After living in this country for 66 years, I am now being asked to prove my citizenship again,” he said. “It terrifies me to think about it.”
SIR Hearings Trigger Widespread Anxiety Among Elderly and Marginalised in Domkal
Across Domkal, dozens of residents—many elderly and marginalised—are facing similar uncertainty. Despite possessing identity documents and having lived in the area for generations, they are now being forced to prove their citizenship due to documentation gaps dating back decades.
For many across Bengal, the ongoing SIR hearings have become a source of deep emotional distress, raising troubling questions about the humane dimensions of administrative procedures—and about what citizenship means for those who have lived, worked and voted in the country all their lives.
