3 weeks ago
Ritabrata Trinamool MLAs to Meet CM Suvendu Adhikari Over Tribunals
Before an election in a place called West Bengal, the government checked its big list of voters.
It removed more than nine million names from the list.
About 2.7 million people whose names were taken off asked to have them put back.
But the people in charge are listening to these requests in only one place, a tribunal in the city of Kolkata.
That is very hard for people who live far away, like in North Bengal.
Some leaders from a political party called the Trinamool Congress want a tribunal in every district.
They plan to meet the Chief Minister on Friday to ask for this.
They say every eligible voter should get their name restored so they can vote.
Some leaders from the same party are split and are now working with the government.
Everyone hopes the meetings will make it easier for voters to get their names back.
The Ritabrata faction of the Trinamool Congress may meet Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at Nabanna on Friday afternoon to press for voter-list tribunals in every district.
Nearly 2.7 million voters in West Bengal applied to restore their names after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
More than 9 million names were deleted from West Bengal's electoral rolls during the SIR exercise.
Although 20 tribunals were envisaged, hearings are currently held only at a single tribunal in Joka, Kolkata, causing slow progress for applicants from distant districts.
The rebel camp, which removed Mamata Banerjee from the party leadership, has seen growing engagement with the state government after Sudip Bandyopadhyay met Adhikari at Nabanna.
- Who
- A delegation from the Ritabrata faction of the Trinamool Congress, including Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee, Chief Whip Akhruzzaman, Arup Roy, Sandeepan Saha and around 10 MLAs, is expected to meet Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.
- What
- The delegation will press for the setting up of voter-list tribunals in every district to speed up the disposal of applications filed by voters affected by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.
- Where
- Nabanna, the state secretariat of West Bengal.
- When
- Friday afternoon, at around 2.30 pm; an appointment was sought about 10 days ago.
- Why
- To ensure every eligible voter whose application is under consideration is restored to the electoral rolls and to make the process accessible to voters from remote areas.
Key facts
- Delegation
- Ritabrata Banerjee, Chief Whip Akhruzzaman, Arup Roy, Sandeepan Saha and around 10 MLAs
- Meeting venue
- Nabanna, West Bengal state secretariat
- Proposed meeting time
- Friday, around 2.30 pm
- Names deleted in SIR exercise
- More than 9 million
- Applications for restoration
- Around 2.7 million voters
- Tribunals envisaged
- 20
- Tribunals currently functioning
- 1 (Joka, Kolkata)
- Recent related event
- Sudip Bandyopadhyay met Adhikari about a week earlier
Quotes
Akhruzzaman
Chief Whip of the Ritabrata faction of the Trinamool Congress
“"The delegation would request the chief minister to ensure that every eligible voter whose application is under consideration is restored to the electoral rolls. We would suggest the government to set up one tribunal in each district to make the process accessible to voters from remote areas," Akhruzzaman said.”
thestatesman.com
“"The party had sought an appointment around 10 days ago to raise concerns over the slow disposal of applications filed by nearly 2.7 million voters whose names remain under consideration following the SIR exercise," Akhruzzaman said.”
thestatesman.com
Sources
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