ECI approves tea garden & Sincona plantation records for SIR verification in North Bengal

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has approved the use of tea garden and Sincona plantation records as valid documents for verification under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in seven North Bengal districts. Officials confirmed the decision in a letter to the state Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar Agrawal.

The approval applies to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar, North Dinajpur, and South Dinajpur districts. The move aims to streamline verification and reduce errors in the ongoing SIR process, which has already involved sending notices to millions of voters across the state.

BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bisht, welcomed the decision, stating that employment records from tea gardens and Sincona Plantation will now serve as important documents for various official purposes. He added that he had personally written to the Chief Election Commissioner requesting the recognition of these records for SIR verification.

The inclusion of these documents is expected to ease the verification process, especially for voters whose names risk being removed due to minor errors. Election officials have emphasized that the step will help ensure a more accurate and inclusive voter list in West Bengal.