BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bista, has informed that the Election Commission of India has approved the use of Tea Garden and Cinchona Plantation records for verification during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in West Bengal.

In a social media post, Mr Bista said the record of employment in tea gardens and cinchona gardens will now become an important document for future official uses as well. He said, in October last year, he had written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, requesting that these records be accepted as valid documents for SIR verification.

Mr Bista added that in the representation, he highlighted that the North Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and North and South Dinajpur are home to large tea gardens and forest-dwelling communities.

The BJP leader also expressed his gratitude to the Election Commission for the decision, saying that it will benefit thousands of citizens who have long been denied basic documentation and electoral inclusion. He said the Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had also raised the issue, strengthening the demand to ensure the welfare of tea garden and cinchona garden workers.