Kolkata Voters Face Hearing Notices Over AI's Sibling Count Errors in EC List
Kolkata residents with four or more siblings are receiving hearing notices from the Election Commission. The EC places such voters in a "logical discrepancy" category. This action follows an AI module scanning the draft SIR list.
AI Module Creates Confusion Over Family Links
EC sources explain the AI system tracks logical discrepancies. It often treats persons with the same name as one individual. Their children then appear as siblings in the analysis. All affected electors must now produce documents to prove family relationships.
Booth-level officers help some lucky individuals. Most voters have no choice but to attend hearings. The process causes significant inconvenience for many families.
Real Cases Highlight Systemic Issues
Shyampukur resident Priyanka Nath has five siblings. She received a hearing notice and submitted all relevant documents. Officials found a mismatch in her father's name spelling between records.
Basudev Maity appeared as Basu Maity on the 2002 voters' list. This minor difference forced Priyanka into a second hearing. She must now provide a court affidavit to resolve the issue.
A family member expressed frustration over the situation. They noted Priyanka received the notice as her father's youngest daughter. The spelling discrepancy created unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.
BLOs Follow EC Instructions Despite Errors
Booth-level officers clarify their limited role in the process. One BLO stated they only serve notices and perform assigned duties. Voters with multiple document errors face second hearings.
Another woman refused identification after receiving a similar notice. She declined to submit documents entirely. Instead, she requested deletion of her name from the voters' list.
Prominent Figures Also Affected
Sagardighi MLA and industrialist Bayron Biswas has two brothers. All three men received notices demanding papers for more than five siblings.
EC sources reveal the AI module linked their father Babar Ali Biswas with five other men sharing the same name. The system treated all six as one person despite different addresses.
Bayron Biswas called the situation harassment. He confirmed attendance at the scheduled hearing on January 24.
Technical Errors Cause Family Confusion
Dilshad Das actually has four siblings. His hearing notice claims he has six siblings. He expressed visible anger over the incorrect information.
Das explained his family lived in Hooghly's Bansberia for generations. The sudden notice demanding papers for non-existent siblings surprised him.
Document Requirements Create Additional Hurdles
A BLO explained the EC used AI to extract information from the 2002 list. Spelling differences and document changes created many technical errors.
Officials understand these are technical mistakes. They still must issue notices to clear doubts. Voters often misunderstand the process after submitting documents once.
The BLO noted everyone receiving notices showed lineage links through family members. Now AERO officials say lineage proof alone does not suffice.
Voters must provide one of eleven documents prescribed by the Election Commission of India. This new requirement adds another layer of complexity to an already confusing situation.
