Kolkata, Nov 17 — The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially said that no election body, including the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) offices in any state, ever asks voters for a one‑time password (OTP) during the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists.
The clarification comes after complaints that some groups were demanding OTPs from voters, claiming it was part of the SIR process. “It is a new scam to extort money from voters,” an insider from the West Bengal CEO’s office explained. The commission had warned booths‑level officers to caution voters against giving out OTPs while distributing enumeration forms.
How the SIR works
- Stage 1 – Enumeration forms: Began on Nov 4. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) go door‑to‑door, hand out two copies of the form to each voter and collect one back.
- Three‑stage process: The entire SIR is expected to finish by March 2025.
The latest revision uses the 2022 voters’ list as its starting point. The previous SIR in West Bengal took place in 2002.
Political debate surrounds the revision
The ruling Trinamool Congress says the SIR is a ploy by the BJP and the Union government to wedge the National Register of Citizens (NRC) into West Bengal. In turn, the BJP argues that opposition to the revision stems from a fear that names of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya voters could be removed from the roll.
Despite the controversy, election officials insist the SIR is a routine update of voter data—not a political manoeuvre. The commission’s latest statement clarifies that OTP requests are not part of the official SIR procedure.
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