SIR: Special arrangements to ensure jail inmates’ participation in West Bengal

In West Bengal, a rare window of democratic participation has opened behind prison walls. Special arrangements have been put in place across all 62 correctional homes to ensure that every inmate whose name appears on the voters’ list as of 27 October can take part in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Undertrial prisoners — still awaiting their day in court — will be given priority over convicted inmates, a senior official from the State Correctional Services Department said, underscoring a renewed commitment to safeguarding the voting rights of those who remain legally innocent.

Authorities have already instructed prison officials to assist inmates in filling out their enumeration forms and submitting them to booth-level officers. A formal notification from the Correctional Services Department has made the message unambiguous: no eligible inmate should be denied the opportunity to confirm or retain their place on the electoral rolls.

“It is possible that many inmates, despite securing their names on the voters’ list through this revision, may still be unable to vote on polling day if they remain behind bars,” the official admitted. “But the right to be listed — the right to exist as a voter — is fundamental, and we are determined to protect that.”

This renewed push comes as part of a coordinated effort between the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) of West Bengal and the Correctional Services Department. From the outset, both offices have worked in tandem to ensure every eligible inmate can participate in this rare, large-scale revision — a process that has not taken place in the state since 2002.

The Special Intensive Revision began on 4 November, and the extensive exercise is expected to continue until March next year. For many inmates, it marks not just a bureaucratic update but a brief yet meaningful connection to the democratic world beyond the prison gates — a reminder that even in confinement, their voice still matters.

With IANS inputs