Amartya Sen flags concerns over voter roll revision in Bengal

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has voiced deep unease over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, warning that the exercise is being conducted with “undue haste” and may jeopardise democratic participation, particularly with the assembly elections approaching in a few months.

The economist, speaking to PTI from Boston, reflected on the democratic value of electoral roll revisions and



the circumstances under which they can strengthen voting rights.

He stressed that such an exercise must be conducted with care and adequate time, which he believes are “missing” in Bengal’s case.

“A thorough review of electoral rolls done carefully with adequate time can be a good democratic procedure, but this is not what is happening in West Bengal at this time,” Sen said.