The Telegraph (Calcutta) Editor groping in bureaucratic labyrinth for validated identity and passport, SIR toll

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, June 29, 2026

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll , sanctioned by Article 324 of the constitution and Section 21 (C) of Representation of Peoples Act-1951 has taken a toll on as high a personality as the former editor of Calcutta-based The Telegraph (English daily), R. Rajagopal. His name was dropped off the SIR based rolls in Calcutta’s Ballygunge assembly constituency as his name could not be traced in the electoral roll of 2002 , nor that of his late father who was a professor, a reputed ‘Gandhian’ and state secretary of the ‘Gandhi Smarak Nidhi’ Kerala. What is surprising is that Editor R.Rajagopal’s name was dropped on the ostensible ground of ‘logistical discrepancies’ and even after he had furnished all necessary papers asked for including his matriculation certificate his case is still pending in one of the tribunals constituted as per supreme court order. Naturally he could not cast his vote in the recent West Bengal elections.

According to the authentic version available in writing from former Editor R.Rajagopal, in consequence of the omission of his name from the electoral roll he had to miss the wedding ceremony of his daughter, a journalist in US’s California, in San Francisco because of problems in renewal of his valid passport in spite of having a valid ten-year US visa. The wedding ceremony had come off on April 17 this year. Rajagopal has informed that he had completed the bio-metric formalities for his passport renewal as early as on March 19 but was told by the passport-issuing authority that police had furnished an adverse report , citing absence of his name from the electoral roll even though he had duly furnished a set of authentic alternative documents which were rejected. Even though he had sought an appointment with the passport issuing authority for submission of all documents in person as also for explaining his position at the earliest he had been granted an appointment only on July 17.

Now former editor R.Rajagopal spends his whole days in tracing and collating his personal and familial documents to prove his bona fide as a valid citizen of India who deserved to figure in electoral roll as also to gain renewed passport. He has lost all hopes in the system and wondered if such a thing can happen to him what may happen or may have already happened to similarly placed common people. Rajagopal, an eminent media professional, has also lost hope in the role of media in current realities of Indian society.

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