Kolkata, Dec 9 (LatestNewsX) – The Election Commission of India (ECI) has warned that any voter who submits forged identity papers or related documents to keep their name on the voter list during West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) will face stringent legal consequences, potentially up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment.
A directive from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal explains that providing counterfeit identification or any other falsified legal documents for inclusion on the roll can result in up to seven years behind bars under Section 337 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). This law criminalises the forging of a wide range of records, from court documents and birth or marriage certificates to government‑issued IDs like Aadhaar cards. It also covers other official papers, such as certificates issued to public servants or powers of attorney. Those convicted under this provision are liable for both imprisonment and a fine.
An insider with the CEO’s office said the notice was prompted by several cases where illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators used forged documents that listed local senior citizens as their parents to have their names added to the voter roll, thereby committing fraud. “The commission had also decided to extensively use Artificial Intelligence to identify the forged documents,” the insider added.
The ECI has already appointed five additional special roll observers to scrutinise the ongoing SIR in West Bengal. Their mandate is to detect any instances of “deliberate” data entry errors in the roll’s second phase—which begins after the draft voter list is published on December 16—and to point out the individuals “within the system” responsible for such mistakes and recommend appropriate disciplinary action.
During the second phase, which starts after the release of the draft list, voters will have the opportunity to file claims and objections. The notice period, which covers issuance, hearing, verification, and final decisions on enrollment forms and complaints, will run in parallel under the jurisdiction of the election returning officers (EROs).
Once the second phase concludes, the final stage will see the publication of the definitive electoral roll on February 14. Shortly thereafter, the ECI is expected to set the dates for West Bengal’s crucial Assembly elections.
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