Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], November 3 (ANI): The West Bengal BJP wrote to the Election Commission on Monday, claiming that the Mamata government has issued “forged” documents to illegal infiltrators in the state and urged the poll body not to accept “backdated and duplicate” birth certificates for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls.
The BJP alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government has issued “backdated and forged” documents to illegal infiltrators under the ‘Duare Sarkar’ initiative.
In the letter to the ECI, the party wrote, “The State has witnessed large-scale issuance of backdated and forged documents, particularly through government schemes such as Duare Sarkar, aimed ostensibly at citizen welfare but effectively utilised to provide documentation to illegal infiltrators from across the border. Numerous field reports indicate that since 2020, there has been an exponential increase in the number of certificates issued under these drives.”
Claiming “backdated and duplicate” birth certificates, the BJP recommended that the ECI not accept certificates issued after June 25, 2025.
The party wrote, “Numerous cases of backdated certificates being issued in connivance with local officials and political cadres have been detected. Often, individuals obtain ‘duplicate’ certificates through fabricated general diary entries in police stations, falsely reporting loss or damage of the original document.”
“Birth certificates issued after June 24, 2025, should not be accepted for SIR purposes. If absolutely necessary, such certificates should be verified on a case-by-case basis by the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) before acceptance,” the BJP recommended.
For Permanent Residence Certificates, the BJP questioned the authenticity of Aadhaar and EPIC cards and suggested accepting certificates issued and duly signed by Group-A officers for the SIR exercise.
The letter added, “These certificates are being issued indiscriminately by local authorities under the control of political functionaries. In many cases, they are based merely on Aadhaar or EPIC cards, which themselves are under question regarding authenticity.”
“Only certificates issued and duly signed by Group-A officers should be accepted. Further, every such certificate must be cross-verified by sending it to the issuing authority to confirm authenticity and residency,” the party suggested.
Indicating at “manipulation” of forest rights certificates, the BJP recommended, “Only Forest Rights Certificates issued prior to April 2, 2025, should be considered valid for SIR. Certificates issued on and from April 2, 2025, may only be considered if certified to be in accordance with the rules governing the issue of such certificates by a competent cadre officer.”
The BJP alleged that caste certificates have been issued without a field enquiry, and OBC-A certificates have been issued to members of the Muslim community.
“Caste certificates have been issued in large numbers through Duare Sarkar camps without field enquiry. Many such certificates were issued merely on the basis of affidavits under Orders No. 1203-BCW/MR-88/2014 and 1204-SBCW/MR-67/10 dated 27.07.2015. It is further noted that a vast number of OBC-A certificates have been issued to members of the Muslim community, many of whom are alleged to be illegal infiltrators. The Calcutta High Court has already declared the OBC-A category illegal, and the matter remains sub judice,” the letter read.
The party recommended, “Caste certificates issued without due enquiry or verification should not be accepted. OBC-A certificates issued between 2011 and 2024 should be excluded from acceptable documents pending final judicial determination.”
It claimed that the family registers under the MGNREGA are “unreliable” and should not be accepted by the ECI.
“Family registers have not been systematically prepared in West Bengal. There are apprehensions that new registers may be generated post facto to facilitate illegal inclusions. Registers under MGNREGA are particularly unreliable due to the detection of irregularities by the Government of India, which led to the suspension of funds to the State. Family registers prepared after June 24, 2025, and all registers created under MGNREGA, should not be accepted for SIR purposes,” the letter said.
For Land and House Allotment Certificates, the BJP wrote, “The State Government has launched schemes such as Banglar Bari (17.12.2024) and land patta distribution drives, covering millions of individuals. These schemes were rolled out after central funds under PM Awas Yojana were stopped due to irregularities. There is credible apprehension that these certificates are being used to create false documentation of residence and citizenship. All certificates issued under the Banglar Bari scheme should be excluded. Land pattas may only be accepted if issued before June 24, 2025.”
In addition to this, the BJP further asked for a “zero-tolerance verification policy” by the ECI.
“A comprehensive database of all documents issued after January 1, 2002, should be compiled by the District Magistrates and shared with the Chief Electoral Officer for verification. The Commission should identify, by name, the government officers authorised to issue these certificates and obtain written confirmation that they have personally verified the applicants’ eligibility and residency. “
“Certificates issued under any order that is presently sub judice must be supported by at least one additional valid document from the prescribed list of 11 acceptable proofs. A zero-tolerance verification policy should be adopted to ensure accountability of the officials who act as EROs and AEROs. The following additional documents may also be accepted in the specific context of West Bengal: Record of Rights (Land Khatians) recorded before the first Duare Sarkar camp of 2020, including formal mutations in the names of direct descendants. PROFLAL (Provident Fund for Landless Agricultural Labourers) registrations prior to the last SIR for direct descendants,” the BJP suggested in the letter.
The BJP delegation also met with the Election Commission and the poll body has assured them of holding a discussion and taking action on the matter of the SIR exercise, BJP leader Amit Malviya said.
Malviya said, “We have requested the EC that they review the document list for the SIR in West Bengal because a lot of documents in are fake and issued illegally there. Unauthorised officials have also issued documents. We have demanded that the Election Commission hold a verification by appropriate officials. The Election Commission has assured that they will hold a discussion on our written submission and take appropriate action.”
Slamming the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal, he added, “We also raised the issue of BLOs being threatened. Mamata Banerjee, TMC ministers and Panchayat officials are threatening people. To conduct a successful SIR, necessary action must be taken against the ruling party in West Bengal…The way the BLOs in West Bengal are demanding central security shows that Mamata Banerjee and TMC are rattled due to the SIR, and their vote base is based on fake documents… She is creating an atmosphere of fear because she knows she will lose power if the SIR is conducted.”
The ECI will conduct the second phase of SIR of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, with the final voter list to be published on February 7, 2026, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said. The first phase of SIR was completed in Bihar before the assembly polls.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, CEC Kumar said the exercise will cover Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Following the Supreme Court’s directions, the ECI has included Aadhaar in the list of 12 indicative documents, as per its September 9 order relating to the SIR in Bihar.
Explaining the position on Aadhaar, CEC Kumar said, “As far as the Aadhaar Card is concerned, the Supreme Court has said that Aadhaar is to be used as per the Aadhaar Act. Section 9 of the Aadhaar Act says that Aadhaar will not be the proof of domicile or citizenship. The Supreme Court has given several rulings that Aadhaar is not proof of date of birth. Keeping this in mind, the Aadhaar authority issued its notification and even today, if you download a new Aadhaar today, the Card mentions that it is neither a proof of date of birth nor domicile or citizenship. Aadhaar Card is proof of identity and can be used for e-signing too.” (ANI)
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