4 hrs ago
Deleted Bengal Voters March for Faster Electoral Roll Appeals
Many people in Bengal say their names were wrongly removed from the voter list.
They marched through rainy streets to ask officials to fix the problem faster.
Most said they had already appealed but had not heard back from the tribunals.
The march was organised by Sangrami Ganamancha, a group supporting deleted voters.
Some marchers said they were also having trouble receiving government welfare payments.
The organisers asked for more tribunals and quicker decisions.
They also want benefits to continue until each appeal is finished.
They say children of deleted voters should still be allowed to register when they turn 18.
Hundreds of voters removed from Bengal’s revised electoral rolls marched from Moulali to Y-Channel in Calcutta despite heavy rain.
Marchers said they had appealed to SIR tribunals but had received no communication about their cases.
Organisers said more than 2,000 people attended, including voters from Calcutta, Howrah, Nadia and the two 24-Parganas districts.
A six-member delegation submitted demands to the Calcutta High Court, including faster hearings and more tribunals.
Participants said electoral-roll deletions had affected access to welfare benefits, although rules provide that benefits should continue while appeals are pending.
- Who
- Voters removed from Bengal’s revised electoral rolls, supported by Sangrami Ganamancha, took part in the march.
- What
- They protested their exclusion from the rolls and demanded faster tribunal hearings, more tribunals and continued welfare benefits.
- Where
- The march went from Ramlila Park in Moulali to Y-Channel in Esplanade, Calcutta; a delegation later visited the Calcutta High Court.
- When
- Wednesday afternoon; the march began at about 1:30 p.m.
- Why
- The protesters said their appeals had not been addressed and that some had faced problems receiving welfare benefits after their names were deleted.
Key facts
- Organiser
- Sangrami Ganamancha
- Route
- Moulali to Y-Channel in Esplanade, Calcutta
- Reported attendance
- Organiser Kushal Debnath said more than 2,000 people attended.
- Appeals
- Participants said they had filed appeals with SIR tribunals but had received no communication.
- Delegation
- A six-member group submitted a charter of demands to the registrar-general of the Calcutta High Court.
- Main demands
- Faster case resolution, more functioning tribunals, district-level tribunals and an updated online consolidated list.
- Welfare rule
- Deleted voters who have appealed online are reportedly supposed to continue receiving welfare benefits until their cases are decided.
Quotes
Kushal Debnath
Convener of Sangrami Ganamancha, which organised the rally
“The exclusion from the voters’ list is equally painful and insulting. Much of this stems from the narrative set by a section of political leaders who bragged about millions of Rohingyas infiltrating Bengal’s voter base.”
telegraphindia.com
“I was a recipient of Lakshmir Bhandar. After the change in government, I applied for Annapurna Yojana. But I have still not received any money.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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