Bengal SIR: Newspaper cuttings, blank papers submitted as IDs

The 21 February deadline for completing scrutiny of identity documents submitted during hearings on West Bengal’s draft voters’ list is likely to be pushed back by two to three days, sources in the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) indicated on Monday.

Behind the possible extension lies a mounting administrative challenge. Officials say the verification process has been slowed by an unexpectedly large volume of “fake” and “unlisted” documents uploaded to the system as proof of identity.

According to insiders, alongside documents not included in the 13 forms of identification approved by the Election Commission of India, officials have encountered newspaper clippings, blank sheets of paper and even illegible uploads. “Filtering out such documents is proving to be a herculean task,” a senior official said, adding that this has compelled authorities to consider extending the scrutiny timeline.

Compounding the pressure is the overlap between ongoing verification and the continued uploading of documents submitted in the final phase of hearings, which concluded on 14 February. “Had all uploads been completed by 14 February, officers could now focus solely on scrutiny. The overlap has added to the workload,” the official explained.

The Election Commission has already flagged five districts — Cooch Behar, Malda, Murshidabad, North 24-Parganas and South 24-Parganas — where instances of “unlisted” document uploads have been unusually high. Notably, all five share international borders with Bangladesh, with South 24-Parganas also having a coastal frontier. East Burdwan and West Burdwan have reported comparatively lower but still notable irregularities.

Under the current schedule, the final voters’ list is slated for publication on 28 February. A full bench of the Election Commission is expected to visit the state on 1 March for a two-day review of the post-Special Intensive Revision (SIR) scenario. Shortly thereafter, the commission is anticipated to announce polling dates for the forthcoming Assembly elections — a contest that now unfolds against the backdrop of heightened scrutiny and administrative vigilance.

With IANS inputs