Election Commission of India. File Photo | Express
West Bengal Elections

Protests break out after 340 Muslim voters removed in West Bengal's Basirhat

Protesters have accused the Election Commission of acting under political pressure to benefit particular partisan interests.

TNIE online desk

At Booth No. 5 in Boro Gobra village, 340 Muslim voters have been removed from the electoral roll, sparking protests in West Bengal’s Basirhat North Assembly constituency.

Initially, these voters were marked as “under adjudication” in the draft roll. However, their names were later deleted in a supplementary list released at 5 pm on Wednesday. Even the Booth Level Officer, Md Shafiul Alam, was reportedly removed from the rolls.

Protesters have accused the Election Commission of acting under political pressure to benefit particular partisan interests. In response, Alam has said he will approach a tribunal to seek legal remedy.

The issue relates to Booth No. 5 under Begumpur Bibipur Gram Panchayat in Basirhat Block II, which has a total of 992 registered voters. Officials stated that 38 names were removed due to death or relocation, while 358 voters had been summoned for hearings to verify their eligibility.

Out of these, only 18 cases were resolved in the draft roll. The remaining 340 voters were placed under adjudication and later deleted in the supplementary list, raising concerns about transparency, due process, and communication.

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