Amartya Sen included in post-SIR electoral rolls in West Bengal

Amartya Sen, Nobel laureate economist, has been included in the post–Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral rolls in West Bengal, with his status listed as a ‘Non-Resident Indian’ (NRI) , a senior Election Commission official confirmed on Saturday.

The development comes after a controversy erupted when the poll panel issued a hearing notice at Sen’s residence in Santiniketan as part of the ongoing SIR process. The notice triggered debate and criticism in political and academic circles.

According to a senior Election Commission official, Sen’s name was incorporated in the final SIR list after necessary documents were examined during the hearing process. “Prof Amartya Sen’s name has been included in the SIR list. The required documents were scrutinised during the hearing, and his inclusion has been reflected accordingly,” the official said.

Election officials had visited Sen’s Santiniketan residence to complete the formalities after serving the notice. The economist was reportedly abroad at the time. During the hearing, documents including a copy of the 2002 voters’ list, Sen’s passport and Aadhaar card, and the death certificate of his mother, Amita Sen, were submitted to the authorities.

A close family friend said there had been considerable anxiety over whether Sen’s name would be retained in the final electoral roll despite the submission of documents. “There was uncertainty within the family about the outcome. The earlier notice and proceedings had caused avoidable concern,” the friend said.

With the publication of the final SIR list confirming his inclusion, family members and associates expressed relief.

Meanwhile, around 63.66 lakh names nearly 8.3 per cent of the electorate have been deleted in West Bengal since the SIR exercise began in November last year. The total number of voters in the state now stands at over 7.04 crore.