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Two Bengal Officials Regain Votes After SIR Deletions
Two government workers in Bengal found out that their names had been taken off the voter list.
Officials said their records had problems connected to their fathers’ ages, and one also had a small spelling mismatch.
Both men appealed and showed documents to explain their cases.
Their names were eventually put back on the voter list.
But this happened after the Assembly elections, so they had already missed their chance to vote.
One of the men even worked on election duty while his name was missing.
The Election Commission said tribunals had restored nearly 1.14 lakh people.
The article also reported that many appeals were still waiting to be decided.
Two Muslim government officials from Murshidabad had their names deleted from Bengal’s revised electoral rolls after being flagged for discrepancies.
Both officials successfully appealed and had their names restored, but only after the Assembly elections.
One official said a hazy uploaded enumeration form may have contributed to an incorrect age-gap flag; he later attended election duty while unable to vote.
The second official was flagged over his father’s age and a minor spelling mismatch, then had his name restored after an in-person tribunal hearing.
An Election Commission affidavit said nearly 1.14 lakh people had been restored by appellate tribunals, while more than 22 lakh appeals had been filed.
- Who
- Two Muslim government officials from Murshidabad whose names were deleted from the electoral rolls.
- What
- They successfully challenged their deletions and had their names restored after the Assembly elections.
- Where
- Murshidabad, West Bengal; one tribunal hearing took place at Joka.
- When
- Their names were restored after the Assembly elections; the Election Commission submitted its affidavit on September 16.
- Why
- Both were flagged for an age difference of more than 50 years between them and their fathers; one also had a minor spelling mismatch in his father’s name.
Key facts
- Officials interviewed
- Two government officials, both from Murshidabad and Muslim
- Outcome
- Both had their names restored after successful appeals
- Election impact
- They regained their places on the rolls only after the Assembly elections
- People restored
- Just under 1.14 lakh, according to the Election Commission affidavit
- Exclusions
- More than 27 lakh voters were excluded after adjudication by judicial officers
- Appeals filed
- More than 22 lakh
- Appeals disposed of
- Around 1.02 lakh, according to the affidavit
Quotes
State government employee
A state government employee from Murshidabad whose voter registration was restored.
“It was not easy. To be part of a system that treated you unfairly. More than myself, I was concerned about my future generations. The campaign around illegal infiltration and outsiders made me more uncomfortable. But I kept faith in the judiciary.”
telegraphindia.com
“I had been shattered to learn my name was deleted. For nearly three months, I was embarrassed to step out of home and talk to people. My wife could not sleep peacefully and developed health problems.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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