Retired Army Jawan's Son Seeks Voluntary Death After Name Deleted Following Bengal SIR
Sumitabh Mukherjee, fearing forced detention after his name was deleted from voter rolls despite valid documents, reports Raju Biswas
Published : April 17, 2026 at 5:53 PM IST
Madhyamgram: A 43-year-old Sumitabh Mukherjee of Kora Babupara village in West Bengal’s 24 Parganas district has submitted a written appeal to the District Magistrate (DM) seeking permission for voluntary death for himself and his family after his names were “inexplicably” deleted from the electoral rolls despite submitting all necessary documents.
Mukherjee, who works as a driver and lives with his elderly parents, wife, and son, said during the recent Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, his name was removed from the final voter list even though it appeared in the draft list and he had attended a hearing to prove his citizenship.
“I have been a continuous voter since 2002. My name appeared in the draft list as well under serial number 638. I submitted all relevant documents at the hearing held on January 5 at the local Block Development Officer’s (BDO) office. Yet, in the final voter list, my name has been marked as 'deleted', while the names of my parents and wife remain unchanged.”
Mukherjee, who is a son of a retired Indian Army soldier, added that he had been mentally shattered since he didn’t find his name in the electoral roll.
“I am a valid voter of the country, yet I am being deprived of my franchise. I am afraid I will be sent to a detention camp amid the ongoing electoral roll revision process,” he said. “If I am forced to go to a detention camp, I will not be able to endure it. Who will take responsibility for my entire family, including my ailing parents? I have no satisfactory answers from the authorities, and I feel helpless. This is why I have submitted a petition for voluntary euthanasia for myself and my family.”
Mukherjee said that his distress was further aggravated after seeing the name of “Supriti Biswas", identified as a Bangladeshi national, listed adjacent to his name.
“Under the ‘Guardian’ section for Supriti Biswas, my name appears under ‘Others’. She has used an address in Madhyamgram to get illegally enrolled in the voter list. How is it possible that a Bangladeshi national’s name is included, while mine has been deleted? I demand to know if this illegal act was done with the collusion of a Booth Level Officer or other officials for money,” he told ETV Bharat.
Following his petition, the administration was in a fix. Shilpa Gourisaria, the District Election Officer (DEO) and District Magistrate of North 24 Parganas, said that Mukherjee’s case would be forwarded to the Tribunal for a final decision. “The Tribunal alone will decide whether his name will be restored to the voter list,” she said.
On the other hand, Mukherjee has appealed to the Election Commission, saying, “The valid voters should not be arbitrarily excluded in this manner. The Commission must ensure transparency in the SIR process. No voter should be driven to despair or to consider voluntary death due to such exclusions.”
Early this week, a similar incident took place in the Hooghly district, where six residents, including former school headmistress Taibunnesa Begum, had written to the President, Droupadi Murmu, seeking permission for euthanasia after their names were removed from West Bengal’s updated voter list following the SIR process.
Despite possessing all necessary documents and a history of voting, their exclusion has left them fearing forced detention. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) accused the Election Commission and central government of endangering lives, while the BJP dismissed the move as political theatrics ahead of upcoming Assembly elections.
Also Read
