Thousands flee to Bangladesh fearing EC's SIR drive, SIR sparks BJP-TMC clash

This India Today special report examines the mass return of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals from West Bengal at the Hakimpur border checkpost. The report highlights how the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has prompted this reverse migration. Security forces are conducting stringent checks amid concerns that criminals might exploit the situation to escape India.

West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll has sparked a heated political battle. A four-member Election Commission team, led by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, arrived in Kolkata to expedite the process, but tensions between the BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) have escalated. 

BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari alleges TMC is influencing block-level officers, while TMC leaders have strongly refuted the claims. Remarks by PM Modi suggesting the SIR could boost BJP’s prospects in 2026 have further intensified the dispute. Meanwhile, the SIR has prompted many undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants to return home amid NRC-related scrutiny. With illegal immigration long shaping Bengal politics, the 2026 Assembly elections will put these claims to the test.