Court-mandated appellate tribunals have cleared 55 nuns of the Missionaries of Charity for inclusion in Bengal's electoral rolls, reversing earlier deletions after appeals to the Election Commission. The nuns will be able to vote on Wednesday.
Assistance and Gratitude
A sister at Mother House said on Tuesday, 'We had help from Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien... We are also grateful to the Election Commission.' More than 120 sisters, all voters in the Chowringhee constituency, were called for hearings as many were not mapped to previous SIR rolls or could not show linkages.
Documentation Challenges
An official explained the difficulties: 'Nuns provided passport, PAN, Aadhaar, and church certificates. Many lacked parents' documents or birth certificates, making linkage difficult. Names also change after embracing sisterhood.' Sources said some sisters listed their fathers, while others named Saint Teresa or Sister Nirmala as parents in forms, reflecting spiritual ties.
Several names were restored in the February 28 list. Others were deleted without cited reasons before fresh appeals led to inclusion. The process highlights the unique documentation hurdles faced by nuns in voter registration.
