India's Election Commission Considers Face Verification for Veiled Voters in Bengal
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The Election Commission of India is considering a proposal to set up dedicated verification counters outside polling stations in West Bengal to check the identity of voters whose faces are covered.
Under the proposed system, voters with face coverings would have their faces checked against their identity cards at the external counter before being allowed to enter the polling station.
The verification process would be conducted only by women officials, female polling staff, and Anganwadi Sevikas, and would be uniform across the state.
The proposal is currently being examined for the West Bengal elections, but officials said it could also be considered for other regions going to polls after further discussions.
The move has raised several legal questions, including whether it would be constitutional to apply such a procedure only in West Bengal and not in other states with similar practices.
Senior advocate Firdos Mirza criticised the proposal, questioning its legal basis and saying it could discourage voters and create additional hurdles at the booth entrance.
