Bengal poll: Why SIR is effective for Kalimpong residents

In Bangladesh, the Special Intensification Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll has sparked sharp political controversy amid allegations that large numbers of people are at risk of being omitted from the electoral rolls. But in the Tibetan settlement of Kalimpong, many residents have very different recollections of the experience of voter verification — a process that recognized settled communities rather than excluding them.In this mountain town where Tibetans have lived for decades, residents and settlement officials say the review has so far found only a few discrepancies. Many believe that when such campaigns are done discreetly and refer to old records, they can identify legitimate voters rather than disenfranchise them.In a small shop at Mile 10, 72-year-old Khamji Bhutia dismissed concerns about the sport. “We have no problem with SIR. We were born here,” she said.This confidence comes from the long local history. After China occupied Tibet in 1959, not all Tibetans from Kalimpong came here. Some families had settled in the town earlier when Kalimpong was an important trading centre. Traders traveled through Nathula and Jalepura, transporting wool, salt, borax and livestock; some stayed to set up businesses and build houses.“I came here before China occupied Tibet,” said 82-year-old Jampel Kaldhen, who came to Kalimpong in 1954 when he was 12 years old. He said language is no barrier for him. “My third language is Sanskrit. I can communicate in Hindi easily.”Others later came to India, escaping repression and rebuilding their lives from scratch. Many found work as laborers before entering small industries and businesses.“We were all laborers. We used to go out to lava to build roads, all the men and women… we all worked. We built that road,” said 78-year-old Namdol Bhuta, referring to the route leading to tourist attractions in the Kalimpong region.For many here, that history shapes the way they view election verification. Inclusion in the electoral roll is not just a matter of paperwork; it is recognition of a sense of residence, labor and belonging that has been built over decades.Residents and local officials say most Tibetans in Kalimpong already have documentary continuity. The Tibetan population in the area is estimated at about 1,928, according to people familiar with the settlement. They say the current problem largely reflects a generational divide: Many older Tibetans still hold refugee certificates, while younger members of the community, especially those born in India, are more likely to have Aadhaar cards and voter ID cards.“Those who continue to hold refugee certificates tend to be those who are still deeply rooted in their Tibetan identity and are unwilling to change that identity,” said Tenzing Bhutia, a Kalimpong resident.Tashi Bhutia, a retired teacher at St. Augustine’s School, said his grandfather was born in Darjeeling. His father was later sent to Tibet to become a monk and returned a few years later. He emphasized that the community cannot be viewed through a single refugee narrative. “Not all Tibetans fled Tibet after 1959. Some were born here. Some have lived here for generations,” he said.Tseden, a local Tibetan settlement official, said that most Tibetans in Kalimpong obtained documents before 2000 and participated in early elections, including the 2002 election. He said this helped during the current revision process as many names could be checked against the old electoral roll.“We don’t have many cases in the SIR, just a few. Most have their files,” Caidan said. “I don’t think there’s been a case of expungement.”The experience in Kalimpong does not resolve the larger political debate surrounding Bangladesh’s SIR. But it does point out a distinction: verification activities do not necessarily automatically become exclusionary tools. If officials relied on older records, documentary continuity, and local history, settled communities were less likely to be viewed as suspicious.