The Election Commission of India clarified why West Bengal’s domicile certificates are not accepted as identity documents for voting rights. These certificates serve specific purposes like providing additional residency proof for armed forces personnel and their families. Moreover, individuals with parents residing in West Bengal for over 15 years can also obtain these certificates.
The state government issues domicile certificates after verifying certain criteria, including the ownership of property in West Bengal by the applicant’s parents and the applicant’s birthplace. Additionally, the state police conduct detailed checks on the applicant’s current residence in another state. However, these certificates do not qualify as identity documents for voting rights.
A political controversy has emerged in West Bengal regarding the use of domicile certificates in the voting rights verification process. While Mamata Banerjee accused the Commission of excluding genuine voters by not accepting these certificates, the opposition alleged that the state government issued them unlawfully to include illegal immigrants in the voters’ list.
