A tragic road accident in Malda district of West Bengal has reignited a fierce political debate over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, following the death of a woman and her infant while travelling to an SIR hearing centre.
The incident occurred on Friday when a rickshaw carrying Mohammad Yasin Ansari, a schoolteacher, his wife Halima Khatun, and their nine-month-old son overturned while heading to a nearby bus stand. The family was reportedly travelling to attend an SIR-related hearing after discrepancies were flagged in their voter documents.
Mother and infant lose lives
According to family members, Halima Khatun died on the spot, while the infant succumbed to injuries later at a hospital. Yasin’s brother-in-law, Abdur Rahman Ansari, confirmed that both Yasin and his wife had been summoned by election officials for document verification.
Speaking to reporters, a grieving Yasin blamed the circumstances surrounding the SIR process for the tragedy, stating that the family would not have undertaken the journey if not for the hearing requirement.
Political reactions intensify
The incident has triggered sharp exchanges between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP-led Centre. Malda district Youth TMC president Prasenjit Das accused the Election Commission of imposing undue hardship on citizens, alleging that the process was being carried out at the behest of the BJP.
In response, BJP spokesperson Amlan Bhaduri accused the TMC of politicising an unfortunate accident. While expressing condolences, he stated that linking unrelated deaths to the SIR exercise was misleading and that the voter list revision was necessary for electoral transparency.
Legal challenge underway
The controversy has also reached the courts. The Supreme Court recently began hearing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plea challenging the SIR process. The Chief Minister has alleged that over 150 deaths have occurred due to stress related to the exercise, including that of a Booth-Level Officer.