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Kolkata, Oct 28 (IANS) Nearly 2 crore existing voters in West Bengal will have to provide any one of the documents specified by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process to re-enroll their names in the voter list, according to an estimate by the state’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
This is because the names of these voters were not included in the 2002 list, the last time SIR was conducted in the state.
“Mapping and matching” of the 2002 voter list has already been completed in all the districts of West Bengal except two districts of North Bengal, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, after devastating floods and landslides hit both the districts earlier this month.
Based on inputs and records available from the districts where “mapping and matching” work has already been completed and based on rough estimates for Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri, the CEO office has concluded that approximately two crore voters must have provided any one of the documents specified by the ECI to retain their names in the voter list.
An insider in the CEO office said most of these voters who will have to provide one of the ECI-mandated documents are from districts along the international border with neighboring Bangladesh.
As per the SIR protocol, the names of voters whose names are in the 2002 list will automatically be entered in the new voter list, and such voters will not have to submit any document to prove their eligibility as a voter.
However, those whose names are not in the 2002 list will have to provide documents, as mandated by the ECI for that purpose. Although Aadhaar card has been included in the list of such documents, the ECI has made it clear that Aadhaar card alone will not suffice and the concerned voter will have to produce any one of the 11 other documents specified by the Commission to prove his/her citizenship.
Notably, Aadhaar is neither considered proof of citizenship nor of age.
–IANS
Source/Mr.