Voters check their names in West Bengal’s draft electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
An organisation led by West Bengal Minister Siddiqullah Chowdhury took out a march in Kolkata on Tuesday (January 27, 2026) to protest against the alleged harassment of people during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.
The procession by Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Hind began in the Rajabazar area of north-central Kolkata and culminated at Esplanade in the central part of the city, covering a distance of about 4.5 km.
A large number of protesters, including women and elderly persons, participated in the march and raised slogans against the Centre and the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Mr. Chowdhury alleged that residents of West Bengal, including senior citizens, were being forced to stand in long queues for hours for verification, which is “inhuman”.
“We will continue our fight through democratic means. Injustice is being meted out to us, which is not acceptable,” said the State Minister for Mass Education Extension and Library Services.
He alleged that the central government was pressuring the ECI to conduct the SIR ahead of the State Assembly elections this year.
Responding to a question on whether minorities were being selectively targeted during the voter list revision exercise, Mr. Chowdhury said the protest was “against oppression and the undermining of the independence of an autonomous constitutional institution”.
Published – January 27, 2026 05:46 pm IST
