Migrants’ absence is parents’ worry as SIR knocks on doors

n Eighty-year-old Manju Mukherjee, who lives alone in her two-bedroom Salt Lake flat, is anxious as her daughter, who now lives in Singapore, cannot return to India for at least two months. She is unsure whether her daughter can retain her voting rights if she herself cannot fill and sign the SIR enumeration form.n Retired Army officer Sudarshan Banerjee (85) and his wife Chandra, also from Salt Lake, are shocked when the booth-level officer arrives at their home with a list, which includes only their names, but does not mention either of their sons, one of whom lives in Germany and the other in Delhi. Even as BLOs visit homes, matching names with that on the 2002 electoral rolls and distributing enumeration forms, many elderly parents are worried whether their children living abroad or in other states can retain their voting rights here. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has, however, made it clear that names of people staying outside Bengal for work or studies will not be deleted during the SIR exercise. "We have no intention of deleting names of eligible voters, irrespective of them living outside the state," said a senior official Bengal chief electoral officer's office. "BLOs have been instructed to include all eligible names on the draft list if their data match the 2002 SIR list or if their family links can establish proof."Asked if migrant employees' names will be on the draft list, another official reiterated, "Definitely yes. If someone's name is found on another state's electoral lists, too, he/she will be asked to choose the state he/she wants to vote from. If he/she chooses Bengal, his/her name will be deleted from the other state's list."But these assurances seem to do little to allay fears of elderly parents, who are caught between procedural reassurances and personal anxiety — seeking repeated clarity on whether their children can find their names on Bengal's electoral rolls despite living elsewhere. "I don't know if I'll be able to explain to my daughter what SIR is or what she needs to do," said Mukherjee from BB Block, Salt Lake. "The BLO has given me his number. I'll ask my daughter to call him and fill the form online."Sacchindranath Dey (85) and his wife Sabita (77) share the same concern for their younger son, Souvik, who lives in Bangalore. "Our elder son lives with us, but not the younger one. I've asked the BLO for clarity on his status. We've been told he can fill the form online. But I am still anxious," said Dey, a retired bank employee.BLO Baishali Ganguly, who visited their home, pointed to them the column that allowed adult family members to fill it on behalf of absentee voters, provided they were eligible. "Only if the family link doesn't match the 2002 list, the voter will have to appear for a hearing before the electoral registration officer (ERO), physically or virtually," Ganguly said. "They don't need to travel to Bengal. Once they provide the documents, their names will be listed after the SIR exercise." Retired Army officer Banerjee said the system had prompted him to act. "My elder son is a Delhi voter but now lives in Germany, while my younger son works in Dwarka but votes in Bengal. We've asked him to contact the BLO and fill the form online. I hope the system is as easy as it is being explained," he said.