Renowned Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has raised a red flag on the prevailing Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls happening in the state of West Bengal, which, according to Sen, is threatening to disenfranchise a major chunk of voters due to the "undue haste" of the process just before assembly polls. Speaking from Boston, the 92-year-old economist argued that while updating voter lists is a healthy democratic practice, it requires a level of care and time that is currently "missing" in Bengal.
Sen didn't just speak in abstract terms; he shared his own recent ordeal with the Election Commission to illustrate the absurdity of the process. Despite being a registered voter from Santiniketan for years, Sen was flagged for a "logical discrepancy" regarding the age difference between him and his deceased mother. He described being questioned about his mother’s age at the time of his birth— data that was already sitting in the EC’s own historical records.
"Like many Indian citizens born in rural India, I do not have a birth certificate," Sen noted, highlighting a hurdle that millions of others face. He remarked that while he managed to navigate the "formidable gates" of the EC with the help of friends, he is deeply worried about the "underdogs of society" who lack such resources. He warned of a distinct "class bias," noting that the poor and underprivileged are the most likely to be excluded because they struggle to produce the rigid documentation demanded on short notice.
When asked if this revision could tip the scales for any specific party, Sen remained cautious but principled. "The real point is that the EC should not insist on a faulty arrangement and force our proud democracy to commit an unnecessary error, no matter who benefits," he said.
By the end of the interview, Sen’s message was a plea for patience over speed. He urged the authorities not to sacrifice the voting rights of legitimate citizens for the sake of a rushed deadline, calling the current pace "both unjust to the electorate and unfair to Indian democracy."
Also read: ED chief Rahul Navin meets senior officials in Kolkata
Follow us
