No 'genuine' voter should be deleted in Bengal during SIR: TMC urges EC

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Tuesday demanded the Election Commission to ensure that no "genuine" voter’s name is deleted during the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

Speaking to reporters after an all-party meeting with the state’s chief electoral officer, senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said the party would "oppose tooth and nail" if the name of any genuine voter is deleted name from the final rolls to be published after completion of the SIR exercise in the state, which goes to polls in 2026.

The minister said the poll panel should ensure that the dignity of democracy and the Constitution be maintained.

TMC minister Aroop Biswas, who also attended the meeting, said the party has demanded that the mapping of voters conducted by the Election Commission be made public and uploaded on its website.

"We have told the Election Commission that people's democracy and voting rights should not be turned into a triviality," Biswas said.

The minister also urged the poll body to act independently and not be influenced by any political narrative.

BJP leader Sisir Bajoria claimed that TMC's tune has changed since the announcement of SIR for Bengal along with 11 other states by the EC on Monday.

"They are now talking about ‘genuine’ voters not being left out of the rolls; earlier they said that not a single name can be deleted," Bajoria said.

"We welcome this stance. We have always maintained that only genuine voters should remain, and names of illegal immigrants, false entries and deceased persons must be removed," he added.

He added that the BJP has demanded a probe into allegations that poll strategist and Jan Suraj founder Prashant Kishor’s name appears in voter lists in both Bihar and Bengal.

"We have asked the EC to clarify what action it is taking," Bajoria said.

"Being a poll expert, he should know one cannot be registered as a voter in two places," he added.

Commenting on the alleged suicide of a man in North 24 Parganas, which the TMC linked to fear over NRC, Bajoria said the ruling party was responsible for creating a "fear psychosis" among people.

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said it was the Election Commission’s duty to ensure a flawless voter list, adding that "its mandate is not to verify anyone’s citizenship."