Former Trinamool Legislator and Physician Barred from Voting Alongside Family
In a significant development impacting electoral participation in Kolkata, a prominent general physician and former Trinamool Congress MLA, Dr. Abul Kasem Molla, has been stripped of his voting rights by the Systematic Inclusion Review (SIR) process. This exclusion extends to four of his immediate family members, leaving only his wife, Farhat, eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.
Shock and Allegations of Political Targeting
Dr. Molla, widely known as Dr. Kasem in the Ekbalpore neighborhood where he operates a notable nursing home established in 2004, expressed profound shock at the decision. "I was shocked to find my name along with that of my four children under adjudication. Now our names have been deleted," he stated. The former legislator, who served as the MLA for Jagatballavpur from 2011 to 2016 after contesting assembly elections three times on a Trinamool ticket, suspects political motives behind the action. "The only reason I can think of is my association with Trinamool," Molla asserted, highlighting concerns over potential bias in the electoral review process.
Family Details and Residential History
The Kasem family, comprising six members, has been a resident of 11/1B Devi Choudhary Road in the Kolkata Port constituency for over three decades. Originally from Howrah's Jagatballavpur, Dr. Kasem relocated to Kolkata more than 30 years ago. His nomination papers for the 2006, 2011, and 2016 elections consistently listed the Kidderpore address as his residence, and all family members voted from the same constituency as recently as the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
During the SIR enumeration, the family's mapping revealed intricate connections: Dr. Kasem's son Sohail and daughters Shabana, Naushin, and Naureen were linked to him as their father, while he was mapped with his deceased father. His wife Farhat was separately mapped with her father, which may have contributed to her clearance in the SIR test.
Appeal to Tribunal and Community Impact
In response to the deletion of their names from the voter list, Dr. Molla has urgently applied to the election tribunal for a hearing for himself and his four children. "I wonder if the tribunal can restore our right as there is less than two weeks left to the polling," he added, emphasizing the tight timeline before elections. This case has sparked broader concerns within the minority community in Kolkata. Babloo Karim, vice president of the TMC Minority Cell in south Kolkata, noted, "Of all the deletions from the port area, around 70% is from the minority community," suggesting a disproportionate impact that raises questions about fairness and inclusion in the electoral process.
Broader Implications for Democratic Participation
The incident underscores ongoing challenges in voter registration and rights in India, particularly for individuals with political backgrounds. As a respected healthcare provider and former public representative, Dr. Kasem's case highlights potential vulnerabilities in the SIR system, where long-term residents and their families can face sudden disenfranchisement. The outcome of the tribunal hearing will be closely watched, as it could set a precedent for similar cases and influence voter confidence in the integrity of electoral procedures ahead of critical polls.
