Haryana’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has brought into focus a unique problem confronting women who came to the state from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and other states after marriage.
In Kaithal’s Seemla village, Sangeeta is one such woman. Her husband died two years ago, and she now survives by stitching clothes while living with her mother-in-law. She is also a beneficiary of widow pension.
She came from West Bengal around 25 years ago after marriage and has lived in Haryana ever since. Under the SIR exercise, voters whose names cannot be linked to the 2002 electoral rolls through themselves or their parents may be required to submit documents establishing their eligibility.
Officials say the documentation requirements vary according to the voter’s date of birth.
Her concern is that deletion from the electoral roll could eventually create difficulties in accessing government schemes and other official documentation.
What if tomorrow my parents’ voter record becomes a mandatory document? My parents died when I was only five. Now they are asking for their voter records. Where am I supposed to get those records from?” she asks, fearing that deletion of her vote could create further problems for her. The family did not have a daughter to offer in a traditional marriage exchange, making it difficult to find a bride for their son. They eventually brought Sangeeta from Bengal. “We could not keep our son unmarried. She has neither her husband nor children now. If her vote is deleted, how will she survive? “I have all my documents here and have been voting here for years. I am less worried about losing my own vote than about what this could mean for my children. Where will I get it from?
“I came from West Bengal after marriage 25 years ago. We brought her from Bengal 25 years ago.
Her mother-in-law, Rajjo Devi, says the circumstances behind Sangeeta’s marriage were themselves linked to Haryana’s social reality. Rajjo Devi says. I came here after marriage and never went back,” she says.
