Voters in Bengal Rally at Election Offices as Names Deleted from Electoral Rolls
In Kolkata and several districts of West Bengal, anxious crowds gathered outside election offices on Tuesday, as voters whose names were inexplicably deleted from the electoral roll vowed to continue their fight to restore their fundamental voting rights. Among the frustrated citizens was Anju Mara from the Jorasanko constituency, who emerged from the Jessop Building with a determined declaration: "I want to vote." Mara's case is particularly poignant, as she is the only member among her six-person family, residing at Bibi Bagan in Entally, to have her name omitted from the list.
"I don't understand all these technicalities, but I want to vote, which is my right," she asserted, echoing the sentiments of hundreds who converged on key locations such as the Survey Building, Jessop Building, and various district magistrate offices to pursue their appeals. A common complaint among the affected voters was that their names were struck off despite them submitting all relevant documents during hearings, while other family members remained on the electoral roll.
Families Face Voting Exclusion Amid Legal Battles
Saif Parvez arrived at the Jessop Building carrying papers to file an appeal for his mother, Musaraf Parveen, whose name was the only one deleted from their family after adjudication. He explained that election officials cited the absence of his grandparents' names in the 2002 SIR roll as the reason for the deletion. "My mother is worried about how to restore her voting right. She is the only person in our family who may not be able to vote this time," he said, adding that the family is prepared to continue the legal fight to ensure her participation.
At the Survey Building in Alipore, Metiabruz resident Raju Ansari reported that he had already moved the tribunal but visited on Tuesday to get an update, only to leave empty-handed. In Mominpore, Umesh Halim expressed that the tribunal represents the last hope for many affected voters like him. His sister, who now lives in the United States, also found her name deleted, leading Halim to question how election authorities could deem them illegitimate voters despite possessing valid documents, including passports.
High Court Committee Formed to Draft Tribunal Procedures
In a significant development, the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday formed a three-member judges' committee, as directed by the Supreme Court, to draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the operations of appellate tribunals. The committee comprises former Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court T S Sivagnanam, along with Justices Pradipta Roy and Pranab Kumar Deb. Tribunal judges will commence their work once this SOP is finalized, aiming to streamline the resolution of appeals.
The Supreme Court's order on Monday urged the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice to establish this committee to define procedures for all 19 appellate tribunals in Bengal, with a directive to have the procedure prescribed by Tuesday to accelerate appeal resolutions. However, sources indicated that the procedure had not been finalized by Tuesday evening, leaving many voters in limbo.
Election Commission and Infrastructure Readiness
The Election Commission submitted to the Supreme Court on Monday that the necessary infrastructure is in place, with appellate tribunals ready to function in allocated premises. The Calcutta High Court has selected the S.P. Mookerjee Institute at Joka as the designated location for these tribunals. Additionally, the EC had notified on March 20 that appeals could be filed either online through the ECI NET platform or physically at the offices of District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Magistrates, or Sub-Divisional Officers.
In a move to ensure transparency, the Supreme Court directed on Monday that for appeals filed offline, these offices must issue a receipt or acknowledgement for filing, providing voters with documented proof of their submissions. This step is crucial as affected individuals like Anju Mara and Saif Parvez continue their struggle, highlighting the broader issue of electoral integrity and the right to vote in West Bengal.
