The special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls SIR underway in Bengal is being done with “undue haste”, Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen said on Saturday, warning that it may jeopardise democratic participation, particularly with the Assembly elections months away. The Election Commission and the Supreme Court “must make sure no adult Indian citizen faces difficulty to qualify for voting,” Sen, 92, told PTI. However, the 2002 electoral rolls — an Election Commission-authorised document — suggest an age difference of 19 years. This is both unjust to the electorate and unfair to Indian democracy,” he said. “Sometimes, the officials of the Election Commission themselves seem to lack enough time.

Source: The Telegraph January 24, 2026 13:20 UTC