A young Kolkata woman's scheduled absence from the city turned into a full-family affair at a local school on Sunday, as three generations of her kin gathered to represent her at an Election Commission hearing. The incident at Sailendra Sirkar Vidyalaya has thrown a spotlight on the persistent challenges of voter data management and the personal toll it takes on citizens.
A Family's Day Out for Electoral Formalities
Taniya Dey, a woman in her early 30s, was the intended recipient of the hearing notice. However, she was out of Kolkata on a pre-scheduled work tour when the notice arrived and was only due to return on Sunday evening. The hearing, unfortunately, was slotted for the afternoon. This logistical clash forced her entire family into action.
Her husband, Subhadip, a resident of Shyampur, explained the predicament. He stated that while only his wife had received the notice in their household, her professional commitments could not be altered. "We came here to explain the issue," he said, detailing their effort to seek understanding from the authorities regarding her absence.
Father Steps In, Citing a Similar Experience
Taking the lead was Taniya's 70-year-old father, Prabir Dey, who lives on Grey Street in ward number 17. Prabir, who still works with a private organisation, took leave from his job to appear on his daughter's behalf. His involvement was driven by a sense of familiarity with the bureaucratic hurdle.
Just last week, Prabir himself was called for a hearing to Ganabhaban. The reason was identical: his voter data was not mapped with the 2002 SIR (Summary Revision of Electoral Roll) roll, despite him having cast his vote in that period. "I received the hearing notice because my data was not mapped with the 2002 SIR roll, even though I had voted at that time," Prabir recounted, highlighting a recurring data mismatch issue.
A Toddler in Tow and Procedural Concerns
The scene at the hearing venue was a testament to the disruption caused by such administrative summons. Taniya's mother, Sikha Dey, was seen managing her one-and-a-half-year-old grandson, Ridhan. With no one left at home to care for the toddler, the family had no choice but to bring him along.
Sikha voiced a practical concern amidst the chaos. She pointed out that Election Commission officials were taking photographs after each hearing session as part of the verification process. "How will her picture be taken in her absence?" she questioned, underlining a procedural gap when a voter is unavoidably absent.
The ordeal of the Dey family underscores a wider issue of electoral roll discrepancies that continue to inconvenience voters, often requiring them to navigate complex procedures that clash with their daily lives and responsibilities.
