A Bangladeshi national residing in West Bengal has admitted to falsifying details to obtain an Indian voter identity card, heightening concerns during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Man Confesses to Misrepresentation
Mohammad Khalil Molla, who arrived in India from Bangladesh 35 years ago, told reporters that he used his father-in-law’s name in place of his biological father’s name to secure an Indian voter ID in 2023.
“I am not Indian. I came from Bangladesh. I used my father-in-law’s name to make the card,” he said.
Molla lived in Topsia, Howrah and Amta before settling in Shrirampur, Uluberia.
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Another Similar Case Emerges
Local residents have also accused another man, Seikh Rezaul Mondal, of obtaining a voter card by entering his father-in-law’s name, Iglas (Iqbal) Mondal, instead of his real father, Iklas Mondal.
When asked about the discrepancy, Mondal’s wife said:
“I don’t know whether my father and my husband’s father are shown as the same in the voter card.”
The incidents have caused unrest in West Bengal’s Shrirampur area under Rajapur Police Station.
Growing Anxiety Over SIR Verification
The revelations come at a time when residents across the state are increasingly anxious about the SIR process and the validity of their documents. Many fear removal from electoral rolls and question whether applying under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) ensures their voting rights.
What Is the SIR Exercise?
The Election Commission launched the state-wide Special Intensive Revision on June 24 to update and verify the electoral rolls. The review aims to:
- Add eligible voters
- Remove ineligible names
- Verify details against the 2002 voter list or equivalent eligibility documents
This is the first SIR exercise of such scale since 2002.
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Political Reactions
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleges that several Matua community members risk exclusion from the updated rolls, potentially affecting access to benefits and official documentation.
The BJP has countered by setting up around 700 CAA assistance camps, assuring Hindu refugees that their rights and voter status will remain protected.
