Appellate Tribunal Clears Three Candidates, Restores Voter Rights in West Bengal
In a significant development just ahead of the nomination deadline, the appellate tribunal has restored the voting rights of three candidates whose names were previously struck off the electoral rolls. This move safeguards their nominations for the upcoming elections in West Bengal.
Kechhabuddin Sekh's Case: Passport and Aadhaar Card Prove Crucial
On April 8, Aam Janata Unnayan Party (JUP) candidate Kechhabuddin Sekh from Nadia's Kaliganj constituency received clearance from the appellate tribunal. Represented by advocate Firdous Samim, his case was heard and disposed of by former Justice Raghunath Ray. The tribunal relied heavily on his valid passport, issued on September 27, 2021, and valid until September 26, 2031, along with his Aadhaar card and voter identity card.
Kechhabuddin's name was incorrectly recorded as 'Kecchmatali' in the 2002 voter list. He submitted an affidavit affirming that both names refer to the same person. The tribunal's order noted that his documents clearly establish him as a permanent resident of Hat Gobindapur village in Nadia. Despite having four documents to prove his bona fide voter status, his name was deleted following judicial scrutiny.
Earlier Cases: Congress Candidates Also Cleared
This marks the third successful appeal where names removed from poll rolls have been restored. Earlier, Congress candidates Motab Shaikh from Farakka and Md Mottakin Alam from Ratua had their names cleared by the tribunal.
In Motab Shaikh's case, Justice TS Sivagnanam cited a Supreme Court order from September 8, 2025, observing that while an Aadhaar card is not proof of citizenship, it is "one of the documents enumerated for the purpose of establishing the identity of a person." The tribunal also considered his passport issued in 2018 and driving licence from 2001, both showing his name as 'Motab Shaikh', son of 'Ejabul Shaikh'.
Grounds for Deletion and Tribunal's Reasoning
The names were initially deleted during SIR adjudication due to mismatched names and age gaps with parents. In Md Mottakin Alam's case, the judicial officer noted his father's name differed in submitted documents and the age gap with his parents was too large. However, the tribunal ruled on April 6 that these could not be valid grounds for deletion and restored his name.
All three appeals were filed by contesting candidates and resulted in favorable outcomes, highlighting the tribunal's role in protecting electoral participation. This series of restorations comes at a critical time, with the last date for filing nominations looming, ensuring these candidates can proceed with their electoral bids without hindrance.
