Daijiworld Media Network – Kolkata
Kolkata, Nov 10: Ever since the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls began in West Bengal this month, thousands of migrant workers from the state are struggling to ensure their names remain on the voter list. For many, it has become a race against time — and money.
Jairul Mandal, a 28-year-old construction worker from Angamaly in Kerala, says his family back home has been calling him daily, worried he might lose his right to vote. “The forms have already reached our village. If we don’t take part, we may lose our names on the list,” said Mandal, who cannot afford the journey home.
This concern is shared by many West Bengal migrants scattered across India. Although the Election Commission has introduced online options for voter registration, most workers say they are either unaware of the process or need to go home to arrange their documents.
On October 27, the Election Commission announced the SIR schedule for 12 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal. Enumeration forms are to be submitted between November 4 and December 4, with draft rolls to be published on December 9. Claims and objections will be accepted until January 8, 2026, and the final rolls released on February 7.
For thousands of migrant workers, this has triggered a painful choice — travel home and lose wages, or stay back and risk being left out of the voter list.
Habeebulla Biswas, 22, a construction worker in Kochi, said he just returned to Kerala after Durga Puja but is now preparing to head back again. “We can’t afford another trip right now. The rains halted construction work, and it’s only now that things are getting regular. But my parents insist I come back for the voter list process,” he said anxiously.
In Bengaluru, 58-year-old carpenter Shaikh Shahzada is returning to Kolkata with his daughter, saying, “Party workers will help us enrol. We’ve been voters in Kolkata for decades, but there’s fear this time that some names might be left out.”
In Mumbai’s Malad, construction worker Masibur Mallick is facing a similar struggle. Originally from Uluberia, he lives in Mumbai with his wife and three daughters. “Travelling now will cost me heavily, and I’m the only earning member. My eldest daughter is specially abled, so we’ve sent copies of our documents to relatives,” he said.
For Tarifa, a homemaker in Malvani, even the thought of going back to Hooghly has caused panic. “My husband is a daily wage labourer. If we travel now, we’ll have nothing to eat when we return,” she said.
Some migrant welfare groups in Gujarat are stepping in to help. Aloknath Shaw, president of the Rajkot Bengal Young Star Group, said, “We’ve spoken to Booth Level Officers (BLOs). Workers don’t need to travel home — relatives can provide the required documents.”
Abdul Rauf Yakub Shaikh, president of the Samast Bengali Samaj Association in Ahmedabad, said, “Those who plan to settle here can surrender their old voter IDs and apply for new ones in Gujarat.”
Meanwhile, confusion reigns among many long-settled families. In Mumbai’s Ambujwadi, 53-year-old Amal Biswas wonders why his wife has been asked to submit voter documents for West Bengal when both are now registered voters in Mumbai. “All our documents have a Mumbai address. We’ve lived here since 2002,” he said.
As the SIR exercise continues, countless migrant workers from Bengal find themselves caught between the need to protect their democratic right and the harsh realities of their daily survival.