The Election Commission of India stated that financial assistance sanction letters from various Central and state housing schemes in West Bengal will not be considered valid identity documents during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision. This decision affects schemes like Indira Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and Banglar Bari, the state’s housing financial assistance scheme. The Commission specified that only “any land/house allotment certificate by the Government” would be accepted as an authentic identity document among the 13 listed.
Insiders from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office clarified the distinction between “any land/house allotment certificate by the Government” and the “financial assistance sanction letters under any state or Central housing finance scheme.” While the former identifies a specific plot or house allotted to a voter, the latter merely provides financial aid for purchasing or constructing a house without specifying the property. The CEO’s office emphasized that these financial assistance sanction letters cannot be equated with land or house allotment certificates.
The Election Commission highlighted the statutory disparity between the two types of documents at the beginning of the claims and objections phase for the draft voters list. Despite this clarification, some electoral registration officers and assistant officers accepted these financial assistance sanction letters as valid identity proofs during the Special Intensive Revision sessions. The CEO’s office mentioned that if necessary, the Commission could request explanations from the concerned officers regarding this matter.
