Election Commission Issues Clarifications on Domicile Certificate Rules for Bengal SIR Process
In a series of three clarifications issued over the past 24 hours, the Election Commission on Sunday made it unequivocally clear that it will adhere to a 27-year-old Left-era rule regarding the acceptance of domicile certificates. Specifically, the Commission stated it will only accept certificates issued to "non-Bengali candidates for the purpose of appointment under defence and other paramilitary forces, and subsequent orders issued thereafter." This decision comes during the final leg of the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) process in West Bengal, where approximately 95% of hearings have already been completed.
Impact on SIR Hearings and Public Response
The SIR notification permits 13 documents to be accepted during hearings, including domicile certificates. However, this clarification has led to significant confusion and long queues at the Kolkata Collectorate and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). In the past month alone, the Kolkata Collector issued an impressive 17,000 such certificates to applicants. Despite this high volume, with over 95% of hearings considered finished, the practical utility of these certificates remains unclear to many stakeholders. Officials have indicated that timelines for SIR hearings are likely to be pushed back by only a week due to these developments.
Officials believe that individuals who possess a Permanent Residence Certificate (PRC) for Army recruitment purposes and have not yet appeared for their hearings can still submit them. However, the Election Commission's stance has sparked controversy, particularly after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee flagged the issue in her letters to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and during her appearance before the Supreme Court bench on February 3. She criticized the EC for singling out Bengal and not accepting domicile certificates more broadly.
Detailed Rules and Eligibility Criteria
The Election Commission issued a clarification on Saturday regarding the acceptance of Permanent Residence Certificates (PRC) or domicile certificates in SIR hearings, but on Sunday, it emphasized that this is not applicable to everyone. "The 1999 guideline restricts PRCs to non-Bengali candidates and is only for the purpose of appointment in the defence or central forces; therefore, Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers have been asked to accept only such PRCs and reject anything outside that narrow scope," an officer explained.
The officer further elaborated: "The PRC is admissible under SIR, but only if it is for the specified category. It cannot be considered a normal proof of residence. To be eligible for this PRC, the candidate or their parents must live in the state for 15 years or more, and it must be specified if the candidate was born in Bengal and whether their parents own immovable property or stay in office quarters or a rented house."
Contrasting Views and Revised State Rules
A large number of domicile certificates have been issued by District Magistrates and other officials, a topic that was discussed at a meeting last week with Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal. An official noted that micro-observers had flagged this issue before the CEO, highlighting the administrative challenges involved.
However, Nabanna, the state secretariat, differs with the Election Commission's 15-year stay criteria. State officers pointed out that revised rules allow the competent authority to issue such certificates if someone has continuously stayed in Bengal for the past 10 years. "Even candidates whose parents are permanent residents and who have a permanent home address here are eligible. Women married to Bengal residents can also obtain the domicile certificate, and owners of residential property are also eligible," the officer added.
Application Process for Domicile Certificates
The official provided details on the application process: to obtain a domicile certificate, individuals need to provide identification documents such as EPIC, Aadhaar, PAN, or a passport, along with age proof, proof of residence, and an affidavit. This process can be conveniently filed online through the West Bengal e-District portal by selecting the domicile certificate category, streamlining access for applicants across the state.
