The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI), has fanned the flames of intense political controversy recently. Misinformation and distorted particulars have filled the minds of people with fear of the permanent deletion of voter names from the electoral list.
The Statesman sat in conversation with senior advocate Debanca Das of Calcutta High Court, who spoke about the legal ramifications of SIR.
“SIR is nothing new in India, but it came under heavy fire when the procedure reached West Bengal. Panic only arose after half-baked information from prominent personalities clogged the minds of the public. Yes, there are a few issues in the process, but there are also multiple solutions at people’s disposal, going parallel with the SIR,” said Adv. Das.
“The people of Bengal are concerned not only about their voting rights but also about citizenship, and hence the idea has taken on a different angle. As per data, the demography of Bengal, along with Bengali Hindus, comprises people from different groups, i.e. minority Bengali Muslims, non-Bengalis, Matuas, tribal people and Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan). The people residing in Bengal for generations should not be concerned about SIR as their names are already enrolled in the 2002 SIR list and will be carried forward in future. People from minority communities have already accepted the SIR and are cooperating with the process. While there are some concerns among the Matuas and Hindus from Bangladesh, the provision of CAA has already been given by the government, which will act as an essential legal route for them,” said the senior advocate.
He further clarified that if a person’s name is not in the 2002 list, then they have to prove that they are a citizen of the country with proper documentation (as mentioned by ECI) of their claims.
Pointing out an important aspect of the enumeration form, Das stated that there is a point mentioned in the document which states that the applicant, his family members and ancestors are also declaring that they are not citizens of any other country. He further said that the details in the enumeration form are sufficient for the government to use as data for the process of the National Population Register (NPR).
Adv. Das also elaborated on the fact that SIR and CAA are interrelated in several aspects. “An estimated 20-30 per cent of people who came to India from Bangladesh or other countries may never have formally registered as Indian citizens, despite having avenues to do so through existing legal and judicial provisions. Many of them may still technically hold citizenship in their country of origin, often because they lacked proper information or legal awareness at the time of arrival,” he commented.
According to him, the government has now provided an avenue—through the CAA and other citizenship laws—for such individuals to regularise their status. Once the final list is published, anyone whose name is missing will need to file an appeal and present evidence of their citizenship. Those who entered India after facing religious persecution should apply under the CAA, he added, after which they can become Indian citizens and eventually have their names included in the voter list. “Ultimately, the SIR will also define the demography of voters in future,” he said.
Debunking the myth that people whose names have been excluded from the list will not receive any further support from the government, Adv. Das stated that they will be given ample time and opportunities to appeal and register themselves in the upcoming list by proving their citizenship.
The senior advocate also assured that any person who has faced wrongdoing from any sector of the government or its constitutional bodies can, with utmost belief, knock on the doors of the judiciary to reclaim their rights and receive legal solutions.
He also stated that the SIR will not be a game-changer for any political party, but it will be so for the people of India, as it will safeguard their constitutional rights and forbid illegal voters and foreign elements in the country. He also stressed that people must vote in the upcoming 2026 elections in order to register themselves for any future SIR process. He further said that SIR might earn the confidence of the people of India if conducted with utmost perfection.