Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Apr 12: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will launch a year-long, door-to-door review and verification of the voters' list in West Bengal starting April 15, right after Bengali New Year celebrations. The exercise will continue till April next year, ahead of the crucial state Assembly polls.

The process, to be conducted in association with Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC), will involve trained party workers who will collect and upload voter data to a central database accessible by senior party leadership.

A four-tier verification system has been set up with separate teams for rural (panchayat and block level) and urban (ward and town level) areas. Training workshops are being led by I-PAC experts, and additional volunteers will be trained as needed.

TMC president and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier flagged concerns about possible inclusion of voters from other states in Bengal’s electoral rolls. Acting on her directive, a committee headed by state TMC president Subrata Bakshi was formed to oversee the verification drive.

TMC has repeatedly claimed that voters from other states have duplicate Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers. Last month, the party urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to implement a "Unique ID" system for EPIC cards, similar to Aadhaar or passports, to prevent duplication.