SIR Swasthya Sathi: Election Commission Rejects State’s Plea to Use Swasthya Sathi Card for Voter List Verification

SIR Swasthya Sathi: The Election Commission (EC) has rejected the West Bengal government’s proposal to use Swasthya Sathi and ration cards as proof of identity for the verification and revision of the state’s voter list. This decision marks a significant turn in the process of preparing the state’s electoral roll, highlighting a difference of opinion between the central and state authorities on which documents can be used for identity verification.

Background of the Issue

The state government had argued that Swasthya Sathi cards are issued only after a thorough verification of residents by state authorities. Therefore, these cards should be accepted as proof of citizenship for preparing the voter list. According to the government, this would have made the voter registration process simpler and smoother, especially for people in the rural areas of the state.

The Election Commission’s Stance

The Election Commission dismissed the state’s proposal, arguing that a uniform rule for identity documents has been established for all states across the country. It is not possible to make an exception for West Bengal alone. According to the commission, such an exception could lead to similar demands from other states, which would create complications in the nationwide voter list preparation process. The documents prescribed by the Commission for identity proof include:

• Voter ID Card (EPIC)
• Passport
• Driving License
• PAN Card
• Aadhaar Card
• Passbook with photograph from a Bank or Post Office

Next Steps

Following this decision, the Election Commission plans to send a team to review the preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in the state. This team, likely to be led by Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, will arrive in the state on September 18. The team will compare the 2002 voter list with the 2024 list and inspect new polling stations. This step will ensure that the voter list is prepared with accuracy and transparency. State officials have been instructed to fully cooperate with this process.

What This Means for the Public

As a result of this decision, residents of West Bengal will have to rely on the documents specified by the Election Commission for enrolling their names in the voter list or for making corrections. Swasthya Sathi or ration cards cannot be used as identity proof for this purpose. Therefore, all eligible citizens are requested to keep one of the prescribed identity documents ready so that they can exercise their right to vote. This is a crucial matter, as no citizen will be allowed to vote without a valid identity document.