Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen Raises Alarm Over West Bengal's Hasty Electoral Roll Revision
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has voiced significant concerns regarding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal. He warns that the exercise is being conducted with "undue hurry," which could jeopardize democratic participation, especially with the West Bengal Assembly Elections approaching in just a few months.
Sen's Critique of the Democratic Process
During an interview with news wire PTI, the 92-year-old economist emphasized that a thorough review of electoral rolls, done carefully with adequate time, can be a good democratic procedure. However, he stated that this is not what is happening in West Bengal at this time. Sen stressed that such an exercise must be conducted with care and sufficient time, conditions he believes are "missing" in Bengal's case.
Sen pointed out that the SIR is being done in a hurry, leaving people with inadequate time to have "sufficient opportunity" to submit documents to prove their eligibility for the upcoming Assembly Elections. He described this as "both unjust to the electorate and unfair to Indian democracy."
Background on the Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal
Hearings under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls began in West Bengal last year in December. At that time, a senior official had indicated that around 32 lakh 'unmapped' voters—those unable to establish linkage with the 2002 electoral roll—would be called for hearings in the first phase.
Earlier this month, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee claimed that the Election Commission had served Amartya Sen with a Special Intensive Revision hearing notice. According to a PTI report, Sen was summoned for a hearing after a "logical discrepancy" was flagged by the EC over an age difference between him and his mother, Amita Sen, in the electoral rolls.
Time Pressure and Documentation Challenges
Drawing from his own experience during the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bengal, Sen highlighted that time pressure was evident even among poll officials. He noted, "Sometimes, the officials of the Election Commission themselves seem to lack enough time."
Sen recounted how officials questioned his right to vote from his home constituency in Santiniketan—where he has voted previously and where his name, address, and other details are registered in official records. They inquired about his deceased mother's age at his date of birth, despite her details being stored in their own official records as a voter.
The celebrated economist went on to describe the documentation challenges he encountered, noting that these difficulties are common for many Indians born in rural areas. He explained, "Like many Indian citizens born in rural India (I was born in the then village of Santiniketan), I do not have a birth certificate, and my eligibility to vote required further paperwork to be presented on my behalf."
Concerns for Other Citizens
Although the issue was eventually resolved for him, Sen expressed deep concern for citizens who lack similar access to assistance. He remarked, "Even though I could happily say (like the Beatles) – 'Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends' – I worried about others who do not have so many loyal friends. My friends helped me to get through the rigid gates of the formidable EC."
This underscores broader issues of accessibility and fairness in the electoral process, particularly for those without robust support networks or resources to navigate bureaucratic hurdles.
