No clarity: Deleted voters face chaos at Bengal SIR tribunals as deadline nears

With only three days left for the SIR tribunal deadline for the first phase, confusion has deepened among voters in West Bengal whose names were removed from the electoral rolls, with many alleging lack of clarity, denial of entry, and uncertainty over hearing procedures.

Several voters who arrived at tribunal centres after travelling long distances said they were turned away at the gate and told to return later, with no clear information on when or how their cases would be heard.

Outside the tribunal, many said they were left without guidance on documentation, scheduling, or the process for restoring their names in the voter list.

CASE 1: MIDNAPORE FAMILY STRUGGLES AFTER NAME DELETION

In one case, Abhijit Manna from Midnapore said his mother, 50-year-old Alpana Manna, who is a voter from Behala West, has been on the electoral roll since 2002.

He said the issue came to light after a sudden update in the supplementary list.

“Although my father’s and my names are on the voter list, my mother’s name was suddenly left out in the last-minute supplementary list,” Abhijit said, adding that they were informed by a Booth Level Officer on April 7.

He also said he received conflicting instructions on where to go next. “The local leader said, ‘Go to the tribunal.’ I called the BLO. He said, go to the TMC party office, go and fill up the online form. I have brought the printout and documents. If it is done, let’s see what happens.”

The family said the lack of clarity has left them unsure about the next step.

CASE 2: MADHYAMGRAM TEACHER’S SON REMOVED FROM LIST

In another case, 57-year-old Rahul Sabharwal, a resident of Madhyamgram and a private institute teacher, said his son’s name was removed from the voter list while his and his wife’s names remain intact.

His son, Ayush Sabharwal, 27, was deleted in the last supplementary update.

“There is no clear answer as to why the name of Ayush, who was born and brought up in West Bengal, was suddenly omitted,” Rahul said.

He also described repeated attempts to approach the tribunal. “I first came here on April 14 and spoke to the security guard at the gate. He told me, ‘Come after Thursday, I will give you an update.’ But nothing happened,” he added.

GROWING FRUSTRATION OVER PROCESS

Multiple voters have expressed frustration over what they describe as unclear procedures, absence of proper guidance, and difficulty accessing hearings.

Many said they remain unsure whether their cases will be heard physically or processed in another format.

As per the Supreme Court order, deleted voters whose cases are resolved by April 21 will be eligible to vote in the first phase of polling on April 23. The second phase deadline is April 27, with voting scheduled for April 29.