The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has raised serious concerns over the ongoing voter roll revision process in West Bengal, alleging discrepancies in document verification and transparency issues during the Special Summary Revision (SSR) 2025.
Party representatives claimed that five of the twelve approved identity documents for voter verification were being inconsistently accepted by election officials, potentially affecting thousands of new voter applications.
“The Election Commission must ensure a uniform and transparent verification process. Selective acceptance of documents raises doubts about the fairness of the exercise,” said BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya during a press briefing in Kolkata.
According to sources, BJP has formally submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, seeking an immediate review of the verification process and demanding observers in politically sensitive districts such as North 24 Parganas, Howrah, and Birbhum.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC), however, dismissed BJP’s allegations as “politically motivated,” claiming that the revision exercise is being conducted strictly as per Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines.
The ECI’s Special Summary Revision is a nationwide effort to update and verify electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 polls. In West Bengal, the exercise includes door-to-door verification, correction of voter details, and enrollment of first-time voters turning 18 by January 2026.
Political analysts believe such disputes could intensify as Bengal prepares for crucial panchayat and assembly elections, where voter list integrity remains a contentious issue.
