West Bengal Assembly Elections 2026: 6 In Hooghly Ask President Murmu To Permit Euthanasia After Names Omitted From SIR

Kolkata: One of them is a former school headmistress. Another’s father cast his first vote in 1962, and has been voting his entire life. Needless to say, his name appears in the 2002 voter list, which has been declared as the base year by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

However, following the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, none of their names appeared in the updated voter list. Now, they are among six residents of Hooghly district who have submitted a petition to the President, seeking to allow them to choose euthanasia.

Their stance is unequivocal. If, despite possessing all necessary documents, one is destined to die in a detention camp simply because their name is missing from the voter's list, it is better to choose to death on one's own terms.

On Monday, these six individuals submitted their petitions for euthanasia to the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Arambagh. They carried posters displaying their government documents on their bodies. All of them are residents of Ward No. 6 under the Arambagh Municipality, where the SIR has struck off the names of 206 individuals from the voter's list.

'Prefer Euthanasia Over Being Forced Into A Detention Camp'

Among the petitioners is Taibunnesa Begum, the former Headmistress of Goghat Bhagabati Girls' School. She was a teacher for 24 years, and her late husband was the Principal of Arambagh Girls' College. Taibunnesa said, "My parents' names appeared in the 2002 voter's list; I simply do not understand why my name was excluded. I was a government employee and continue to receive my pension to this day."

She added, "The ECI appears to be flouting all established rules and regulations. They deleted my name, despite the fact that I possess every conceivable document — from passport to various other official records. Given all this, the exclusion of my name constitutes gross negligence by the ECI. Having failed to find any other avenue for redress, I am now petitioning the President for the right to euthanasia."

Another voter, Nur Islam Sheikh, said, "Our family has been voting since Independence. My father has been voting since 1962. We possess all necessary documents. We have been casting our votes for years. Yet, our names are not there on the list. Under these circumstances, I wish to appeal to the President: If I am forcibly sent to a detention camp simply because my name is missing from the voter's list, I would prefer euthanasia instead."

They were accompanied to the SDO office by the local TMC councilor Swapan Nandi. Although the SDO was not present at the time, the councilor managed to call him over the phone, before agreeing that for the time being, the applications would be deposited in the office's receiving section. The SDO would later take whatever necessary actions were felt necessary.

Later, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) took a jibe at both the ECI and the Modi government at the Centre, accusing them of putting lives at danger.

In a counter move, the BJP has alleged that the TMC is merely staging a political drama ahead of the Assembly elections, due later this month.

TMC Is Trying To Politicise Issue, Says BJP

Sushanta Ghosh, the Arambagh District President (Organisation) of the BJP, alleged that TMC is attempting to politicise the issue during the election period by deliberately creating an atmosphere of panic. He claimed that taking voters to the Sub-Divisional Officer's (SDO) office amounts to political theatrics. Ghosh emphasised that the process of updating the voter list (SIR) is not a BJP matter, but falls under the jurisdiction of the ECI.

He noted that the SIR process was conducted in a hasty manner, and therefore, if any errors or discrepancies have occurred, the responsibility lies with the Commission. He further pointed out that if a name is omitted from the list, everyone is aware of the established procedures for rectifying such errors. "Hence, there is no justification for appealing for euthanasia."

Also Read:

1. 'Voters Sandwiched Between Constitutional Authorities', Says SC But Refuses To Hear Plea Against Bengal SIR Voter Deletion
2. 'SIR Back-door NRC, Citizenship At Risk': Saket Ghokhale Alleges CEC Gyanesh Kumar 'Working With BJP To Delete Citizens'
3. Gujarat SIR: HC Reprimands Election Commission For Removing Voter, Orders Restoration Of Name In Voter List
4. UP SIR: Over 84 Lakh Voters Added In Final List, Total Electorate Rises To 13.39 Cr