Kolkata, June 26 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today criticised the new guidelines under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, alleging they are intended to target her state \\\\ ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, and indirectly accused the Election Commission of acting as an "agent" of the BJP.



On June 24, the Election Commission (EC) announced a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled later this year.



As part of the process, voters are required to submit one of 11 approved documents, such as a birth certificate or passport, to verify their date and place of birth. Those born before July 1, 1987, need only provide their own documents.



However, those born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, must also submit one parent’s documents, while individuals born after December 2, 2004, must provide documents for both parents.



Voters already listed in the 2003 roll are presumed eligible unless proven otherwise. All documents can be submitted physically or digitally through the ECINET platform.



Criticising the Election Commission for taking the decision unilaterally, the CM said, “This is alarming for democracy.

“Are those born before 1987 not Indian citizens? India became independent in 1947. Why are people born between 1987 and 2004 being targeted? I don’t understand.”



“The Election Commission cannot do this without consulting political parties. We live in a democratic country with a federal structure. No political party or elected government is a slave here," she said.

Without naming the Commission directly, she accused it of acting as a promoter for the BJP.





“Is this being done so that the younger generation cannot vote? How will the poor obtain their parents’ documents? Is this NRC in disguise? Are they trying to implement NRC through this? Let them clearly state their intention. Is this what's happening in our country?” Banerjee questioned.



“I urge the Commission to revise the voter list following proper guidelines so that no voter’s name is left out. We have no objection to that,” she said.



Interestingly, this will be the first such intensive revision in the state since 2003 and will be introduced in the forthcoming assembly election in Bihar. The EC said Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will carry out door-to-door verification to ensure accurate and up-to-date voter rolls.



The Commission underlined that the goal of this revision is to include all eligible voters, remove ineligible ones, and ensure transparency in the inclusion or deletion of names.

Factors like urbanisation, frequent migration, and the inclusion of ineligible individuals such as illegal immigrants have made this exercise necessary.



Alleging that this is a subtle plan of the commission to effectively use in the assembly election in Bengal next year, the chief minister said, ““Because the BJP is in power in Bihar, nothing will be done there. Their real target is Bengal and migrant workers. Whatever BJP says, the Commission is doing. They are scared.”



She also alleged that outsiders are being used to fill Bengal’s voter list. “The Commission cannot arbitrarily say it will prepare a new voter list,” she asserted. Commenting on the Commission’s decision, Banerjee said, “There is a lot of manipulation and corruption involved.”



She announced that the Trinamool Congress will officially take a stand on this decision by the Commission. She also hinted that the party may launch a movement in the future over this issue.



However, the Commission emphasised that the goal of this revision is to include all eligible voters, remove ineligible ones, and ensure transparency in the inclusion or deletion of names. Factors like urbanisation, frequent migration, and the inclusion of ineligible individuals such as illegal immigrants have made this exercise necessary. UNI XC SSP