ECI rejects WB government's request to include Swastha Sathi, ration cards as valid documents for SIR

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rejected the West Bengal governments request to include Swastha Sathi and ration (PDS) cards as documents to prove eligibility to be included in the voters list during the course of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the State. Incidentally, after Bihar, the focus has now shifted to West Bengal, as the poll panel is gearing up to launch the SIR ahead of the scheduled State assembly elections in 2026. It is to be noted here that the Swastha Sathi card is given by the West Bengal government for its health insurance scheme, as the cost of the premium is borne by the state government. According to sources, earlier this month, encouraged by the direction of the apex court regarding inclusion of the Aadhaar card in the list of documentary identity evidences for the SIR, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Panthad through the States Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) forwarded a letter requesting the Commission to consider including Swastha Sathi and ration (PDS) cards as documentary identity evidences. However, in a communication to the state government, the Commission rejected the proposal, as it said that inclusion of them in the list of documentary identity proofs was not possible. A senior official said, The commission rejected the state governments argument, saying, since all information about any West Bengal resident is verified by the state authorities before issuing the Swastha Sathi cards, the same could be used as proof of citizenship while preparing the voters list. Similarly, the state government argued that the ration cards could also help identify many people. The Commission, on its part, said that a uniform rule for all Indian states for the SIR is followed and no exception could be made for West Bengal, the sources said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party TMC have been opposing the SIR in West Bengal, as she has claimed that the real intent behind the exercise was to introduce the NRC and the CAA in West Bengal through backdoors. The opposition BJP in the State, however, countered it saying that the CM and the ruling TMC were opposing the SIR over fear of losing out votes of many illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators.