Agartala: The much-talked-about SIR (Special Intensive Revision) of electoral rolls, which has stirred national political debate following its implementation in Bihar, is likely to be conducted in Tripura as well.
Tipra Motha Party supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Wednesday asserted that the Chief Election Commission of India had assured him that a similar revision of electoral rolls would be conducted across the country.
Interacting with media persons in New Delhi after meeting the Election Commission of India (ECI), Debbarman said, “The ECI panel heard our concerns very patiently and told us that the SIR exercise will be conducted nationally for each of the states. And Tripura is no exception.”
When asked about the stand of the BJP and other political parties on the SIR, Debbarman said, “We are an independent political party, and from our capacity, we are trying to ensure that Tripura remains protected from the threats of illegal immigration. If other parties feel the same, they have every right to give their representation to the Election Commission.”
He also expressed his discontent over the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord. “If the Tiprasa Accord is implemented, that is fine; otherwise, we will also have to rethink our understanding with the BJP. We joined the government based on one single-point agenda, which is the Tiprasa Accord,” he claimed.
The delegation of the party, which comprised ministers, MLAs, and the Chief Executive Member of the TTAADC, also submitted a written memorandum to the Election Commission.
Through the memorandum, the TIPRA Motha Party made a strong appeal to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the immediate implementation of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Tripura, citing serious concerns over the integrity and accuracy of the current voters’ list.
In the letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, party leaders expressed alarm over the ongoing dilution of the electoral rolls due to the alleged inclusion of ineligible individuals, particularly undocumented immigrants.
Signed by General Secretary Brishaketu Debbarma, Founder and Chairman Pradyot Bikram Manikya, Minister Animesh Debbarma, and supported by all elected representatives of the party, the letter highlights the growing fears among the Indigenous communities of Tripura regarding the erosion of their political voice and cultural identity.
The party contended that the unchecked influx of illegal immigrants across Tripura’s 856-kilometre-long international border with Bangladesh has significantly altered the state’s demographic landscape.
The leaders alleged that many of these individuals have acquired voter ID cards, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, and even passports through fraudulent means, often facilitated by local brokers and corrupt officials.
“This has led to the marginalisation of the Indigenous population, undermining the core purpose of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation system and democratic representation in the state,” the letter stated.
The TIPRA Motha Party called for a door-to-door verification process, modeled on the recent electoral revision drive conducted in Bihar.
The party further demanded that this verification be conducted by trained personnel from outside the affected constituencies to ensure impartiality and reduce local political pressure. The leaders also stressed the need for adequate training and supervision of verification teams to prevent manipulation or administrative oversight.
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