BJP Alleges Document Fraud in West Bengal Voter List Revision, Seeks Election Commission Intervention

New Delhi:

The BJP has addressed the Election Commission regarding the Special Intensive Revision of voter lists in West Bengal, expressing concerns that the Mamata Banerjee administration may have issued "backdated" and "forged" documents extensively.

The party specifically highlighted the state government's "Duare Sarkar" flagship program, claiming that documents issued under this initiative are "ostensibly aimed at citizen welfare but effectively utilized to provide documentation to illegal infiltrators from across the border."

According to the BJP's memorandum, "Numerous field reports indicate that since 2020, there has been an exponential increase in the number of certificates issued under these drives. Many of these are being used to create a false trail of citizenship and residence, thereby undermining the very purpose of the SIR, which is to ensure that only genuine citizens are enrolled as voters."

The BJP has identified several documents for which "caution" should be exercised, including Birth Certificates, Permanent Residence Certificates, Forest Rights Certificates, Caste Certificates, Family Registers, and Land and House Allotment Certificates.

Additionally, the party recommended that the Election Commission request additional documentation from West Bengal residents, such as Record of Rights (Land Khatians) recorded before the initial Duare Sarkar camp of 2020, including formal mutations in names of direct descendants, and PROFLAL (Provident Fund for Landless Agricultural Labourers) registrations prior to the last SIR for direct descendants.

In its recommendations, the BJP suggested that Birth Certificates issued after June 24, 2025, should be rejected, citing a "surge in delayed and backdated registrations."

The party stated that Permanent Residence Certificates should only be accepted if issued and signed by Group-A officers and cross-verified with the issuing authority.

Regarding Forest Rights Certificates, the BJP recommended that only those issued before April 2 this year should be considered valid, due to alleged irregularities in appointments.

For OBC-A Caste Certificates, the party argued that those issued between 2011 and 2024 should be disregarded, claiming many were issued to "illegal infiltrators." The party noted this matter is currently before the Calcutta High Court.

The BJP also cautioned against family registers, claiming they are not properly maintained in West Bengal. They suggested registers prepared after June 24, 2025, and those under MGNREGA should be rejected.

The memorandum, submitted by senior party leaders Samik Bhattacharya, Amit Malviya, and Biplab Deb, urged the Election Commission to treat West Bengal as a "special case."

This has intensified the ongoing political controversy over the Special Intensive Revision, with the ruling Trinamool Congress declaring that they will oppose the revision of the voters' list "both on the streets (of the state) and in Delhi."