Panic spreads as 3,700 names deleted in Bengal village after SIR adjudication

The fate of nearly 4,000 voters in a village in West Bengal’s Malda hangs in the balance, with the voter list for the first phase already frozen, leaving them -- like lakhs of others across the state -- unable to cast their vote on April 23.

Their future as voters now remains uncertain, as the Supreme Court-mandated Appellate Tribunal will decide their status if they choose to appeal.

Whether they will be able to vote in the next elections -- the 2029 Lok Sabha polls -- will be decided by the tribunal once it begins functioning in full capacity.

Tension is palpable among residents of Malda’s Mahisbathani village, where 3,700 names out of 27,000 voters have been struck off in the post-SIR adjudication process.

As per Election Commission rules, voters whose names have been deleted can approach the appellate tribunal, but they will not be able to participate in the first phase of voting.

As a result, those whose names have been removed are uncertain about the future of their voter cards. There is also confusion among many residents in the area about how to apply in the next stage of the process.

Notably, the panchayat includes several villages such as Kadamtali, Rahutgram, Baluatola, and Sugabathan.

In the run-up to previous elections, these villages would come alive -- party offices would open, walls would be painted with slogans, and the area would be filled with symbols, with candidates campaigning amid drums and fanfare.

But this time, that vibrancy is missing, leaving residents disheartened.

Residents of Kadamtala expressed disappointment, saying that elections usually bring a festive atmosphere to the village, but that is absent this time.

“Around 400-500 names have been removed from each booth in that village. In Booth No. 23 alone, 428 names have been deleted. So who will vote this time?,” asked one resident.

Similarly, a resident of an adjacent village said that names have been removed from multiple booths there as well. People are living in fear, unsure of the consequences of being unable to vote. He also alleged that most of those whose names were deleted in his village are Muslims.

Political parties in the area are deeply concerned over the removal of 3,700 names from the panchayat, claiming it has impacted their vote base.

Congress candidate Bhupendranath Haldar told the media that names were deliberately removed through a conspiracy, preventing people from exercising their voting rights, which he said is not a good sign for democracy.

The Trinamool Congress made similar allegations, claiming that the Election Commission has removed names across the state, causing hardship to ordinary people, though efforts are being made to restore names on the voter list.

However, the BJP candidate did not question the Election Commission’s role, stating that names have been removed across the state and Malda is no exception. The Election Commission has assured that no valid voter has been removed from the rolls.

- Ends

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