Whose Electoral Roll Is It Anyway? CPIML Fears Customised Voter Lists to Tilt 2026 Polls in BJP’s Favour

Kolkata: “We are neither fighting against the Election Commission of India (ECI), which is a constitutional body, nor are we boycotting the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls,” clarified CPIML’s general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya while addressing media persons in Kolkata on the issue of protesting against the ECI’s SIR process.

CPIML, which was part of the massive protest in Bihar on July 9 demanding a rollback of the SIR in the state, held a press conference at the Calcutta Press Club to remind voters in West Bengal—where assembly polls are scheduled in 2026, after Bihar—of the implications of the SIR process.

Answering a query from eNewsroom, that the Press Information Bureau (PIB) stated in its July 4 press release that “SIR is being smoothly implemented in Bihar”, with booth-level agents (BLAs) of opposition parties also providing active support in the process. The release also mentioned the number of BLAs from different political parties participating in it. Does this not send a confusing message to the public—that while opposition parties are protesting against the SIR implementation publicly, they are cooperating internally?

“We are not boycotting the SIR process. As such, the government will be very happy if they are not participating in the election itself. We demand the rollback of the SIR process. We aim to defend the voting rights of every voter. The rest is up to the public—we will not tell them what to do or what not to do,” replied Bhattacharya.

‘This is not about abstaining, but about protecting the right to vote’

“Number of BLAs does not prove anything. BLAs and BLOs are all facing the reality and conveying the frustration and anger of the people (to election commission). And this is not a fight to stay away from the process and lose your voting rights, but to be a part of it and fight for voting rights,” he said.

“This is the cunningness of the Election Commission—to show that everything is well. That is why, after meeting Election Commission officials, we have to say it clearly after coming outside that everything is not well. Otherwise, they would have said that they have talked to political parties and everything is fine,” Bhattacharya added.

On the question of suspicion over BJP’s involvement and potential gains from the SIR process, Bhattacharya responded: “Every single voter’s voting rights matter to us—even BJP voters’ rights are a concern for us.

“There are two reasons why people think that the BJP is behind this. When we had gone to meet the Election Commission on the issue of the SIR process, we were told that this is a new Election Commission. Then we thought, why is the commission saying so?

“The Supreme Court has ordered that while selecting the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), it should be done by a three-member committee, including the Chief Justice of India, the Prime Minister, and the Leader of Opposition. But the Narendra Modi government has replaced the CJI with its cabinet minister. So, out of the three members, two are from the government side. And the new CEC must be thinking that now he has only to work in collaboration with the government. So, they think that now they do not have to talk to opposition leaders or the public.”

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‘If the BJP is not worried, what does that imply?’

“The other reason is that the common people of Bihar are very much worried about their voting rights—how, in this short period and during the rainy season, the entire process will get done? And as a political party, we are also worried. So, the BJP, as a party, should also be worried; their voters might also lose their voting rights and should raise the same question before the Election Commission: how will the SIR process be completed within a month? But the BJP seems relaxed and silent. It seems such parties are feeling that after the process, a ‘customised’ or ‘curated’ electoral roll will come out, which will benefit them,” he alleged.

The list of documents being considered by the ECI for SIR includes: birth certificate issued by a municipal body, panchayat, or another government authority; passport; matriculation certificate; government-issued identity card or pension order; permanent residence (domicile) certificate from the district magistrate or similar authority; forest-rights certificate under the Forest Rights Act; caste certificate (SC/ST/OBC) issued by a competent authority; NRC (National Register of Citizens) document (where applicable); family register issued by local bodies; land or house-allotment certificate from a government office; and government or PSU identity documents dated before 1987.

However, Aadhaar—which has been widely used in almost all government as well as private bodies—is of no use. Earlier voter ID cards and ration cards, which are common among most Indian residents, are also not applicable under the current SIR documentation process.

‘Vulnerable sections at greatest risk of disenfranchisement’

Sharing his observations from the SIR drive in Bihar, Bhattacharya noted: “Electors who submitted their enumeration forms received no acknowledgement. Migrant workers—including those employed abroad—are struggling to submit forms and are thus particularly vulnerable to disenfranchisement and the broader threat to citizenship.” He also highlighted the difficulties people face in obtaining domicile and caste certificates.

“We must understand that Bihar’s SIR drive is not a routine electoral revision. It’s unlike the one we had in 2003. This time, the burden lies on the voters to prove they are legitimate citizens of the country—in other words, they have to prove their citizenship,” Bhattacharya stated.

He continued: “Due to the sudden announcement of the SIR in Bihar, opposition parties are taking to the streets to protest against this surgical restructuring of the electoral roll, rather than discussing seat-sharing and electoral strategies. What’s happening in Bihar is being dubbed vote bandi. We believe this SIR process violates the principle of Universal Adult Franchise—a constitutionally guaranteed right that ensures Indian citizens can vote regardless of caste, social status, religion, ethnicity, or gender.”

The ML general secretary emphasised that despite the official cut-off year being 2003, millions in Bihar stand to be affected. “The sudden implementation of SIR has left Bihar voters vulnerable, as the threat of disenfranchisement looms large. The widespread participation in the chakka jam on July 9 showed a glimpse of the public’s anxiety and anger around this ‘Vote Bandi’ drive. The Bengal government must learn from Bihar’s experience and take steps to ensure that bona fide citizens are not deprived of their constitutional rights.”

So who would be most affected by the SIR? He responded: “The poor, the marginalised, women, and the third gender.” He added, “Considering that many of Bihar’s migrant workers are affected by the SIR, we must anticipate the repercussions if this model is replicated in Bengal. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has already indicated that West Bengal is next in line. The state government must closely observe how the SIR is being implemented in Bihar.”

“A large number of migrant workers from Bengal are already facing detention and arrests outside the state merely for speaking in Bengali. If their voting rights come under suspicion, they may soon be declared ‘D Voters’—a category that paves the way for mass detention and deportations, just as many had feared would happen after the NRC,” added Dipankar.