In Malda, middlemen are taking groups of 50-80 people to local courts, and cyber cafés are making money from the increased demand for both soft and hard copies of birth certificates, a local advocate said
Assembly elections in the state are scheduled to be held next year. Representational pic
Residents from minority communities in West Bengal’s border districts of Malda and Murshidabad have been rushing to municipal offices, gram panchayats, and local courts to obtain documents proving their birthplaces and dates, amid fears of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, reported PTI.
In Malda, middlemen are reportedly charging Rs 1,900 to help residents prepare affidavits and submit applications online for birth certificates.
Groups of 50–80 people are being taken to local courts, while cyber cafés are profiting from the increased demand for both digital and hard copies, a local advocate said.
“The majority seeking these documents are from the minority community, and this trend has intensified in the last 15–20 days,” the advocate added.
Subhamay Basu, chairman-in-council and TMC councillor of English Bazar Municipality, said the surge has significantly increased the workload of civic staff.
“Long queues are seen at designated counters, and they keep growing every day. We are assigning more staff and have set up a special cell to manage the rush, ensuring no case goes unattended,” he stated.
A district official noted that people are coming from 146 gram panchayat areas of Malda, including Ratua, Kaliachak, and Sujapur, as well as other minority-dominated regions.
“Affidavits issued by a notary public are no longer sufficient. Verification by the municipality chairman, panchayat pradhan, and judicial magistrate is now required. Residents are keen to complete this quickly despite daily commitments. Ensuring their cases are foolproof in light of SIR has become a top priority,” the official said.
However, Sulekha Choudhury, former gram panchayat pradhan of Pardeonapur Sobhapur, said the pressure in her area is minimal.
In Murshidabad’s Jalangi, Raninagar, Domkal, Beldanga, Hariharpara, Suti, Samsherganj, and Farakka, a district official said the rush to “correct and procure” birth certificates has also intensified.
“Over the past 15–20 days, offices of BLOs, BDOs, municipalities, and panchayats have seen a surge. People already possess voter IDs, Aadhaar cards, and other documents but want to ensure their names remain on the updated voter list,” said Amirul Islam, a Congress panchayat member from Beldanga.
“They fear being deported to Bangladesh, even though they have lived here for generations. Conversations at local tea stalls and news on social media further fuel their anxiety,” he added.
TMC Murshidabad District President and Member of Parliament (MP) Abu Taher said, “While minorities were anxious about SIR earlier, after the Supreme Court’s order, they are less worried about losing voting rights. We are educating people to keep documents in order without panic. We will not allow SIR in West Bengal, which is part of the BJP’s divisive strategy using the EC.”
He acknowledged that a small section, mostly elderly villagers, may still be anxious, but outreach programmes are ongoing to dispel fears.
The Election Commission sent a letter to the chief secretary and district authorities on August 27 regarding the revision of electoral rolls. Assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled for next year, reported PTI.
(With PTI inputs)
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