'Names Of Three Family Members Cleared, Four Deleted. How Is This Possible? There's A BJP Conspiracy'

By Partha Das

Malda: The Election Commission has published West Bengal’s final electoral roll, following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. While documents of several voters remain under judicial scrutiny, the list has revealed a startling gap of missing names, which are 6,366,952 in number. Another 6,006,675 voters remain “under adjudication”, with their documents currently being examined by the judicial officers.

The scale of exclusion has triggered widespread anxiety. Many fear that voters whose names are under review due to “data discrepancies” may ultimately be struck off the rolls. What has deepened the unease is that several of those excluded had figured in the 2002 list following an intensive revision of rolls at that time and had voted in several elections since then. The question now doing the rounds among the 'deleted' voters are, why then have their names been struck off from the list this time, and what lies ahead for them. These are questions that now dominate public discourse in the state.

West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Agarwal, has acknowledged that “some mistakes” have occurred and has assured that the Commission has acted swiftly wherever errors were detected. But, that assurance has done little to calm those, who find themselves disenfranchised. And, among many of them, a deeper fear is taking root that they may no longer be regarded as Indian citizens, and could even face detention camps or deportation.

Fear In Old Malda

The anxiety is palpable in Old Malda Municipal area of Malda district. Nearly 60,000 voters from this civic area cast their ballots in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Electoral data shows that of the 20 municipal wards, Congress led in two, while the BJP led in 18. In the 2021 Assembly elections too, the BJP had led in most wards of the municipality. Yet, the civic board is currently controlled by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), with virtually no presence of any opposition.

The SIR has thrown up some startling figures in this area. More than 4,000 names have been deleted from the voter list. While some deletions pertain to deceased persons, or those who have shifted residence, a significant number involve residents who continue to live in the area, but have nonetheless been excluded.

These voters are now approaching their ward councillors daily for redress. The councillors, however, say their hands are tied and are advising affected individuals to fill out Form 6 to seek re-enrolment.

The highest number of deletions has been recorded in Ward numbers 2, 7 and 19. In Ward 2, 550 names have been deleted, with another 100 flagged as ‘under adjudication’. Ward 7 has witnessed 504 deletions and 36 names flagged for discrepancies. In Ward 19, 718 voters have not found a place in the final roll, while 408 remain under scrutiny. Residents say the problem extends beyond these three wards, with numerous names missing from the final roll published on February 28.

How Did We Get Different Results?

Liton Kumar Das, a resident of Ward number 19, asked, "Our family has seven voters. During the SIR process, we received hearing notices. Each of us submitted documents as per the Commission’s guidelines. After the voter list was published, we found that three names remain, but four got deleted. How did we get different results in the same process?”

He added, “I don’t understand why four of our names were selectively deleted. We are in fear. I believe there is a BJP conspiracy behind this. We want our names restored to the voter list.”

Shantirani Pal, an elderly resident of the same ward, said, “My name has been deleted from the voter list. I have voted 7-8 times before. In the new SIR voter list, neither my name nor that of my son, is there. But my daughter-in-law’s name remains. I am very afraid. Does this mean I am nobody in this country? Kill me first and then send me to Bangladesh!”

Ashtam Halder, another resident of the Old Malda civic area said, “Three members of my family have been deleted from the voter list. We have lived here for years. My mother has been voting since 1995. Her name was in the 2002 voter list. Yet my elder brother and sisters-in-law do not figure in this new voter list. This has happened in every household here. Why are we being harassed like this? We submitted all documents to the Commission. We are all living in fear. We all want to vote. The Election Commission and the BJP are responsible for this.”

Political Crossfire

Biswajit Halder, TMC councilor of Ward 19 said, “Those whose names have been deleted are coming to me on a daily basis. We are also worried about them. In the present situation, they will not be able to vote and will have to stand in queue again to fill out Form 6. The Election Commission is only a pretext here. It is doing all this at BJP’s direction. This is a conspiracy to prevent people of Bengal from voting.”

Critising the SIR exercise, Old Malda municipality chairman Bibhutibhushan Ghosh told ETV Bharat, “After the SIR voter list was published, we found that 4,095 names had been deleted in this municipal area. The highest deletions were in Wards 2, 7 and 19. We have taken steps to help the excluded voters fill out Form 6. We want those whose names have been deleted to regain their voting rights quickly. The BJP is harassing people through the EC.”

Responding to the allegations, BJP’s South Malda organisational district general secretary Biswajit Roy said, “I have heard that around 800 voters’ names have been deleted in Old Malda. TMC says this is a BJP conspiracy. We have said earlier and we say it again, the EC is working independently. It has no relationship with any political party. Since the beginning of SIR, TMC has tried to create confusion among common people.”

“If documents sought by the Commission are submitted properly, no valid voter’s name should be deleted. TMC never respects the Constitution. The way Mamata and Abhishek pressured BLOs since the beginning of the SIR, has led to such incidents. Genuine voters’ names will never be removed,” he added.

Administrative Silence

Amid the political blame game and rising public fear, a fundamental question persists that what should ordinary citizens do, and where should they seek redress? What is the administration’s position on the anxiety gripping residents?

Repeated attempts were made to contact District Election Officer and District Magistrate Priti Goel for clarification. Despite multiple phone calls and messages, there was no response.

A Crisis of Trust

The controversy over deletions in Old Malda reflects a larger crisis unfolding across the state. With hundreds of names missing and more under review, procedural opacity is colliding with deeply personal anxieties over identity and belonging. Though the Election Commission maintains that corrections are possible through due process, and political parties continue to trade allegations, for voters who have exercised their franchise for decades, the sudden absence of their names is turning out to be an existential shock.

Also Read:

1. As Final Voter List Deadline Approaches, Delay In Appointing Judges For SIR Verification Leave WB Voters Confused, Traumatised
2. EC To SC: Systematic Attempts Being Made To Derail, Paralyze And Frustrate The SIR Exercise In WB
3. Bengal SIR: EC Seeks Report From Chief Secy On Steps Taken Against Officials For 'Adding Voters Illegally'
4. EC-BJP Nexus Behind Deletions In Bengal's Final Electoral Rolls Post SIR: Mamata