Mamata Banerjee Questions New Voter List Guidelines Ahead of Bihar Elections

On Thursday, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, expressed her concerns regarding the new voter list amendment guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar. She suggested that these guidelines might be a precursor to the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Banerjee further claimed that while these directives were released in the context of the Bihar elections, their primary target appears to be West Bengal, which is also gearing up for significant assembly elections next year.

The Chief Minister specifically criticized the new guidelines that prohibit the registration of voters without proof of citizenship, require individuals not listed in the voter rolls since 2003 to provide their place of birth, and mandate documentation of birth dates for those born before July 1, 1987. Additionally, parents' documents are required for those born after this date. Accusing the Election Commission of acting as a puppet for the BJP, Banerjee questioned whether this was an underhanded attempt to enforce the NRC.

Banerjee asserted that the central government is using the Election Commission to target West Bengal by making Bihar a shield, given that the BJP already has an alliance government in Bihar. She emphasized that the BJP's focus is on West Bengal and migrant workers, alleging that the Commission is operating under BJP directives. She made these remarks while participating in the newly constructed Jagannath Rath Yatra festival in Digha, East Midnapore district, which is officially known as the Shri Jagannath Dham Cultural Center. Banerjee concluded by stating that the Election Commission should not have issued these new voter list amendment guidelines without consulting various registered political parties in the country.