Former Editor's Passport Stalled After Voter List Deletion; Police Review Ordered

The Special Branch of Kolkata Police has initiated a review of the passport application of R. Rajagopal, former editor of The Telegraph, after he reported that his passport renewal was denied following the removal of his name from West Bengal's electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters' list.

Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Branch) Dhrubajyoti De assured a swift resolution, stating, 'There was some issue of deletion of names of voters on the same address (Rajagopal's address). I have sought the details of the file. Voter ID card may be asked for verification, and the absence of the voter ID card may raise a question, but it is not the definitive document for local enquiry for passports. I hope to get it resolved today itself. If it is found okay, another report will be sent to RPO (Regional Passport Office).'

Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has written to his West Bengal counterpart, Suvendu Adhikari, requesting intervention. 'I understand that the adverse report is based on the deletion of his name from the electoral roll under the SIR. While the electoral issue is being dealt with through an appropriate appeal process, I am informed that the police report has had the effect of delaying the renewal process of his passport. I would like to request your good self to kindly look into the matter with urgency,' the Congress CM wrote.

Former Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan, in a Facebook post, called the refusal to renew Rajagopal's passport 'shocking' and suggested it could be retaliation for his criticism of the BJP. 'If this is the experience of a renowned editor, one can imagine the plight of ordinary people in the country. Rajagopal might have become a victim of retaliation because he is a strong critic of the BJP. The SIR has turned to be a weapon for advancing the divisive Hindutva agenda. It has to be ensured that citizenship is not decided based on SIR,' Vijayan wrote.

Rajagopal had earlier stated on social media that he missed his daughter's wedding in the United States due to the lack of an active passport. He recounted that a police officer from Ballygunge police station summoned him for verification and asked for his voter ID card, even though his name had been deleted from the electoral roll on March 27. His subsequent attempts to renew the passport were unsuccessful, and he has been asked to appear before the Regional Passport Office on July 17.

The Editors Guild of India condemned the treatment of Rajagopal, stating it 'condemns the manner in which Rajagopal is being treated by the bureaucracy that gets to decide who is an Indian citizen and who is not.' Meanwhile, the citizen-led movement 'Wake Up Keralam' expressed concern that if a prominent figure faces such civic uncertainty, the situation for ordinary citizens could be far worse.

The SIR process, aimed at cleaning voter rolls, has led to the deletion of many names, raising concerns about disenfranchisement. Rajagopal's case highlights the intersection of electoral and passport procedures, with implications for fundamental rights to vote and travel.