‘Will our jobs be hit?’ State, central officials in HC over SIR fears

Kolkata: Deletions by SIR have not just robbed 27 lakh of their voting rights but also sent many govt employees with names deleted into a frenzy.

An assistant teacher, a Maharatna undertaking AGM, a medical professional and an insurance agent went to the Calcutta High Court anticipating termination from service with SIR deletions clouding their citizenship status.



A 40-year-old from Bhagwangola Assembly constituency has given more than a decade to a Maharatna public sector undertaking under govt of India. Currently holding a top position, he prides himself on being a central govt employee. Despite his name appearing in the 2025 electoral roll and the draft roll published on Dec 16, 2025, he was called for a hearing to resolve a clerical discrepancy in his father's name in 2002 records. Even after producing 11 documents his name was deleted and he appealed before the tribunal but no respite was provided.

"The sudden removal of his name from the official records creates a cloud of suspicion regarding his citizenship, which may lead to adverse departmental consequences, jeopardising his service benefits, or even act as a bar to his continued employment. Such an anomaly casts a shadow on his record and professional integrity," his petition read. As a last measure, he moved Calcutta HC seeking an order on the tribunal to hear his case urgently, but the same remained unheard and Justice Krishna Rao told his lawyer that it would be heard after polls.

An assistant teacher in a govt school also moved the High Court seeking similar relief. A voter card is not just an identity; it gives a person the constitutional right to vote. "SIR had taken a lot from these people (ones deleted), their right to vote being a crucial loss. Now these people are worried about their job and whether this deletion will complicate things in their govt service," a lawyer told Justice Krishna Rao on April 28, seeking an urgent hearing.

Similarly, a 52-year-old insurance agent from Nadia's Tehatta is worried whether deletion from the electoral roll would lead to cancellation of his licence. His name featured in the 2002 list. He, too, approached Calcutta HC seeking an order on the tribunal to hear his appeal against SIR cancellation urgently.

"...He is a dedicated insurance agent entrusted with the responsibility of soliciting and managing financial portfolios for a diverse clientele. His position is not merely a source of livelihood but a position of public trust... The arbitrary deletion of his name from the electoral roll directly threatens the validity of his insurance licence and agency appointment," the petition read.

For a 32-year-old medical professional, getting back his voting rights is not just to elect a govt but also to prove he is a ‘bona fide citizen', a prerequisite to appear for the Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test, conducted twice yearly by AIIMS New Delhi. It is scheduled to be held on May 16, 2026.

A voter from Kaliganj Assembly constituency, his house staffship was at Sambhunath Pandit Hospital and Chittaranjan Seva Sadan. Even as his parents and three brothers passed the SIR test, he failed. He sought judicial intervention "not only to restore his right to vote but also to secure his lawful participation in the upcoming examination and protect his career."