Why SIR has left Cooch Behar migrants in Rajasthan in a fix

Malti Barman, 55, from West Bengal’s Cooch Behar, has been a domestic worker in Jaipur for the past 40 years. She had voted there once — long ago — but subsequently go her name removed from the voter list. She knows she would return to West Bengal once she retires, and hence she would rather have her vote there.

Every time there is a poll in West Bengal, be it Panchayat, Assembly or Lok Sabha, Malti makes it a point to vote there. She insists on voting in her home state as it eases the process when she wants to buy property in her village, Basantapur. After all, panchayat pradhans invariably ask her about her voting status during land deals — where she has been voting since she migrated, in Jaipur or Basantapur.

Malti is not alone. Many Coochbeharis who migrated to Jaipur in search of work have settled there, but bought properties in both states. Their second and third generations do not want to go back, as they are used to city life in the western state. Moreover, job opportunities are better there.

Two states

Ever since the Election Commission announced the simultaneous rollout of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in Rajasthan and Begal, along with eight other states and three Union Territories, Coochbeharis have been a worried lot.

Also Read: EC’s SIR drive ahead of 2026 TN polls triggers confusion, exclusion fears

Malti is deeply concerned about whether or not the SIR in Bengal will include her name automatically, or whether she will have to visit her village to fill out the enumeration forms. Although her daughter Sapna, who lives in the village, says she has submitted Malti’s land ownership documents as proof of her identity in Cooch Behar, the family is still jittery.

What will they do if they are included in neither list — West Bengal or Rajasthan?

Detention camp fears

Thousands of migrant workers face such a dilemma in Rajasthan, especially those from West Bengal, where Assembly polls are scheduled next year. Many among the younger generation who were born and brought up in Rajasthan do not want to return to Bengal. They are keen to see their names on the Rajasthan voter list.

Coochbeharis face the additional difficulty of being branded as Bangladeshis, and the possibility of being sent to detention camps.

Rajasthan has four detention camps to hold migrants suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals, until their deportation begins. These are in Alwar, Jhadol in Udaipur, Metra in Nagaur and Behrod. These centres hold foreign nationals, mostly Bangladeshis, after an initial verification of their citizenship status.

In May this year, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma issued directives to intensify surveillance and deport undocumented Bangladeshi nationals.

According to police, an estimated 90,000 Bangladeshi nationals are believed to be staying in Rajasthan. The state government plans a multi-agency campaign across districts to identify undocumented immigrants and the networks that provide them with forged documents to enable their stay.

Beyond voting rights

For the Cooch Behar migrants, the fear of SIR is all-pervasive, and not just limited to voting rights.

Renu Barman, also a domestic worker, told The Federal, “We are hearing that if our names do not feature in the list, our properties may be seized. We work hard here and save money to buy land back home, so that, when we go back, we have land to till and build homes for our old age. If these are taken away from us because of this SIR, what are we left with? Will we be shifted to detention camps here?"

Also Read: SC tells EC to respond within 2 weeks to petitions against SIR in TN, Bengal

Most of these people have heard of the 68 lakh deletions from the electoral rolls in Bihar and fear a similar fate in their native or residence states.

Frantic search

Ever since Rajasthan began its SIR on November 4, many migrants from different states, who have been settled there for a long time and may not have voted in 2002, are frantically searching for relevant documents and voter identity card numbers to establish their eligibility to vote there.

Although no documents are required during the enumeration process, the fear of exclusion from the draft electoral roll, slated for publication on December 9, is driving most to collect at least one of the 11 documents and keep it safe, just in case.

Amal Roy, 50, who grew up in Assam’s Karimganj district and has been living in Jaipur for the past 25 years, is trying to get a copy of his first election ID card, just in case his name doesn’t appear on the draft list. “I am not leaving anything to chance. I have several of the 11 mentioned documents, including passport and mark sheets, but who knows — the authorities might ask when and where was the first time I voted or where I was enlisted before 2002," Amal told The Federal.

11 documents for verification

Chandrani Ray (35), yet another domestic worker, explained why it is difficult for working-class women like her to obtain identity cards or certificates for SIR verification.

"Of the 11 documents EC mentioned for SIR verification, like identity cards, pension payment orders issued to Central or state government employees, or certificates issued by Indian government, banks, local authorities or birth certificates or passports or matriculation or educational certificate issued by recognised Boards or Permanent Resident Certificate issued by the State Authority, most people like us from the lower strata of society, where we work at homes, restaurants or as drivers, are unlikely to possess," Chandrani told The Federal.

Also Read: Mamata Banerjee calls SIR 'votebandi', urges EC to stop voter roll revision

She noted that many migrants do not have bank accounts because they do not earn enough to save. "Whatever we earn, we send home to our families, keeping some for ourselves to survive here, just for rent and food,” she said, adding that her income is not sufficient to open a bank account, which is required to obtain certificates from banks.

"Who will give us certificates?" asked Chandrani, who has been working in Jaipur for the past 12 years.

Struggles remain severe

Ratan Barman (40), a driver in Jaipur for the past 20 years, has never voted. He has not taken the trouble to return to Pundibari, Cooch Behar, for elections. However, this time, he plans to go home and vote in the 2026 Assembly elections. But that is only possible if his name appears in the draft electoral roll.

Also read: SIR a bid to institutionalise 'vote theft', claims Rahul Gandhi

“My late parents’ names and my brothers’ names would be on the list, so I think they wouldn’t be able to delete my name. It has always been so. So I never bothered to go and cast my vote because travelling costs a lot of money," Ratan told The Federal.

"But this time, I will definitely go even if my monthly expenses might increase. I don’t understand why EC wouldn't accept Aadhaar Card, PAN card, driving licence, MNERGA, job card, and ration card as evidence of our Indian citizenship. The onus is now on us to prove that we are Indian citizens. Poor people like us we have to take a break from work to collect these documents. It is nothing but harassment,” he lamented.

SIR in Rajasthan

Some migrants are not particularly worried. “These government exercises keep happening from time to time. The NDA government has made us more alert. We have got used to collecting documents now,” said Umaid Singh, who works as a supervisor at an apartment complex.

Rajasthan has a total of 5,48,84,827 voters. Their eligibility will be examined at 52,469 booths by Booth Level Officers (BLOs). At least 2.61 crore voters are above 40 years, and 77% of their mapping has been completed. At least 2.88 crore voters are below the age of 40, whose verification and mapping are being completed.

Also Read: Petition against SIR in TN has two core points, illegality and impracticability: NR Ilango

According to the State Election Commission, more than 1.56 crore voter enumeration forms have been distributed across the state in the first five days of the SIR. Chief Electoral Officer Naveen Mahajan says that highest distribution has been from Barmer, Chittorgarh and Alwar districts while nine districts namely Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jhalawar, Hanumangarh, Sirohi, Kota, Balotra, Pali, and Jaisalmer have reported less than 25% distribution.