Kolkata Residents on Edge as Final Electoral Roll List Nears Publication
In Kolkata, a palpable sense of anxiety and tension has gripped thousands of residents on the eve of the publication of the final list under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. With the list scheduled for release on Saturday, concerns over the retention of voting rights have become a dominant topic of discussion across the city and its outskirts.
Widespread Discussions and Hearings Fuel Uncertainty
From bustling tea stalls to active WhatsApp groups, conversations have shifted sharply towards the fate of individuals who attended hearings to prove their citizenship. An IT firm employee from Sector V shared, "Today, our discussions at the tea stall outside the office revolved around our anxiety about whether I would make it to the 2026 roll. I had to appear for a hearing because of the Mukherjee and Mukhopadhyay discrepancy." This sentiment echoes widely, as the draft list published in December excluded nearly 58 lakh names across West Bengal, sparking widespread concern.
Subsequently, more than 1.5 crore people were summoned for hearings to address what officials termed "logical discrepancies" in their documentation. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and Booth Level Agents (BLAs) have been inundated with queries from anxious citizens in the 24 hours leading up to the final list's release. A BLO in Garfa noted, "The queries mostly came from those who had document trouble during the hearing and needed domicile certificates. Till evening, I had no idea about the time or the place where people can throng to check their names on the list."
Assurances and Preparations Amidst Apprehension
Another BLO in central Kolkata emphasized their ongoing support, stating, "We were in contact with people during the entire process. We assured them that their names would not be struck off if their documents were in order. Tomorrow, if people do not find their names on the list, they will call us as they have our numbers." Despite these reassurances, many residents remain apprehensive. Anil Singh, a resident of ward 45 in India Exchange Place, expressed his worries: "I was called for the hearing and the officials asked for several documents. Now that the list is due for publication on Saturday, I am anxious about what will happen. I don't know if I will have to prepare for another battle after the list publication."
Arindam Ghosh, a Joka resident, has resolved to monitor the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) website hourly, uncertain of the exact time the final list will become visible. He explained, "I will be checking the CEO website every hour. I asked both my BLO and BLA to help, as 3 of my family members had to go to hearings. I am keeping my fingers crossed." Ghosh added a crucial detail from his BLA: "Our BLA told us that even if our names appear tomorrow, we must look for the ‘Approved' tag. If it says ‘Adjudication,' we can't vote yet."
Community Efforts and Appeals for Vigilance
In Salt Lake, Jumpa Sarkar highlighted how family WhatsApp groups are abuzz with queries about accessing the final list. "We are sharing all verified links and are trying to share the names of respective BLOs too," said Sarkar. Several NGOs and civil society groups, which have assisted residents throughout the SIR process, have issued appeals for careful scrutiny of the list upon release. Many religious leaders also urged congregants during Friday prayers to diligently check for their names.
Ramiz Raja Baig, who runs an NGO aiding people in Kidderpore with the SIR process, advised, "People must carefully look for their names in the final list once it is published. If they face any difficulty in accessing it, they must get in touch with their local representatives." Neeraj Goenka, BLA 2 in ward 44 under the Chowringhee constituency, underscored the community's proactive stance: "Many people from our ward were called for hearings even when their names were on the draft roll and their parents' names were in 2002 rolls. We will be scanning the list to ensure that everybody's name remains there."
As Kolkata braces for the publication of the final electoral roll list, the collective anxiety underscores the high stakes involved in securing voting rights, with residents and officials alike poised for a critical moment in the democratic process.
