In a startling incident amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, over a thousand Aadhaar cards were found dumped in a pond in the Purbasthali-2 block of East Burdwan.

Police recovered three sacks containing soaked cards and launched an investigation to identify the origin and intent behind the act.

The BJP has demanded a CBI probe, alleging large-scale electoral fraud and voter infiltration, while the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) claims these were duplicate or old cards discarded during previous schemes.

Election officials assure thorough verification in collaboration with UIDAI to prevent data misuse and affirm the integrity of the electoral process.

Discovery During SIR Exercise Raises Alarm

On 4 November 2025, workers engaged in cleaning accumulated water in a pond near Lalitpur village in the Pila Panchayat area noticed three large sacks submerged under water. Upon inspection, the sacks were found to contain hundreds of Aadhaar cards.

Purbasthali police promptly reached the site and confiscated a sack, with efforts underway to retrieve the remaining two. The recovered cards, wet and damaged, bore names and addresses predominantly linked to the local Pila and Hamidpur areas.

Local residents expressed shock at the discovery. Laxman Mandal, a villager, remarked that the names on many cards did not belong to locals, sparking concern about possible circulation of fake or duplicate identity documents in the region.

Authorities quickly alerted locals to surrender any suspicious or extra Aadhaar cards to the police or administration.

East Burdwan District Magistrate Ayesha Rani stated, “An independent investigation is underway to determine the authenticity of these cards and the circumstances that led to their disposal in the pond.”

She clarified that the incident is currently not linked directly to the SIR process, although it has emerged coincidentally during the voter roll revision.

Political Fallout: BJP Demands CBI Probe, TMC Counters

The discovery ignited sharp political reactions. BJP leaders alleged that these dumped Aadhaar cards indicate a broader conspiracy to manipulate electoral rolls through fake identities and illegal infiltration.

Parimal Mistry, BJP’s local spokesperson, condemned the incident, declaring, “These cards are fake and were discarded out of fear following SIR’s commencement. We demand a CBI enquiry to uncover this voter fraud.”

Conversely, TMC representatives including local MLA Tapan Chatterjee downplayed the seriousness. He suggested the cards might be duplicate or outdated Aadhaar cards discarded during earlier drives, adding, “It is difficult to conclusively say if this was done out of fear or political motives. The timing and BJP’s reaction seem aimed at political sensationalism.”

Amidst the heated exchange, police assured that their probe will establish facts impartially and that cooperation with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) will help verify the cards’ legitimacy.

Contextualizing the Aadhaar Card Mishandling in Electoral Integrity

The discovery comes at a sensitive juncture when the Election Commission of India is intensifying efforts to clean up voter lists through the SIR exercise, which includes verification of voter identities through Aadhaar linkage.

The incident raises concerns about vulnerabilities in identity document management, especially in rural pockets where duplicate or forged identity cards might be exploited to influence electoral outcomes.

It is also reportedly not an isolated case, as social media reports and local anecdotes suggest scattered findings of discarded identity documents in nearby areas since the SIR process began.

Such occurrences feed into ongoing debates about data security and transparency in electoral roll maintenance, especially in states with complex demographic challenges.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

This incident underscores the critical need to safeguard citizens’ sensitive identity information and ensure electoral systems are beyond reproach. Political bickering should never overshadow the imperative of unbiased and thorough investigations.

The Logical Indian calls for cooperative, transparent actions by all political and administrative stakeholders to restore and build public confidence in democratic processes.

As India advances digitally, protecting personal data and electoral integrity must be a national priority uniting leaders across divides.