West Bengal has seen an unusual rise in the number of Muslim couples registering their marriages under the Special Marriage Act (SMA), 1954 — a law typically used for interfaith union or by couples who wish to go for civil ceremony — especially in districts bordering Bangladesh and Bihar. Government officials believe this spike is connected to growing anxiety over the ongoing verification of voter lists in the state.

Data shows that between November 2024 and October 2025, 1,130 Muslim couples applied to register their marriages under Section 16 of the SMA. What makes the trend striking is that more than half — 609 applications — were filed between July and October 2025, the same period when a similar Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls took place in neighbouring Bihar. Ben

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