Murshidabad Voter's 150km Journey to Restore Voting Right Ends in Disappointment
Sagar Shaikh, a 45-year-old resident of Murshidabad, makes a modest living by driving a horse-drawn carriage for tourists at Hazarduari, supporting his wife and two children. Just four days before the assembly election in his constituency, he embarked on a costly and arduous journey to Kolkata, traveling approximately 150 kilometers by train and spending around Rs 1,200 from his meager income. His destination was the office of the appellate tribunal authority at Joka, where he hoped to inquire about the status of his appeal to restore his voting right.
A Plea Denied at the Tribunal Gate
Armed with his passport and domicile certificate, Shaikh pleaded with security personnel to allow him entry into the tribunal office. However, he was swiftly driven away with a stern warning: "Trespassers will be prosecuted." Frustrated and exhausted, he shared his ordeal, noting that his wife's name remains on the electoral roll, while his has been inexplicably struck off. "The reason has not been explained to me. Even the Booth Level Officer (BLO) who helped me file the appeal online does not have any answers," he lamented.
Following the BLO's suggestion, Shaikh traveled to Kolkata in the third week of the month, sacrificing work and managing expenses from his paltry earnings. "But they did not allow me to meet the authority, and I came back without any solution," he said, adding that his family has lived in Murshidabad for four generations. To compound his hardship, he spent the night at Sealdah station, waiting for his train the next afternoon.
A Common Ordeal for Deleted Voters
Shaikh is not alone in this struggle. Many deleted voters from various districts have flocked to the tribunal's office, located about 18 kilometers from Howrah station and 17 kilometers from Sealdah. Rakesh Ruidas from Nadia experienced a similar ordeal. He set out early in the morning, rented a bike to reach the office on time, and was met with guardrails and interrogative guards. "As I stood in front of the entrance, the guards asked if I had been summoned by the tribunal authority. When I said no, they shooed me away," Ruidas recounted. He now faces uncertainty about whether he will be able to vote in the upcoming election.
Systemic Challenges and Tribunal Focus
According to sources, the tribunal authority is currently prioritizing appeals from deleted voters in 152 assembly constituencies scheduled to vote on April 23. Under judicial direction, two lists—approved and rejected—are being prepared. "Out of five cases, four are getting cleared, and one is kept on hold due to grey areas. This model is likely to be followed for disposing of appeals before polls in other constituencies," the sources revealed.
Uniformed personnel at the site report that around 100 people from Kolkata and surrounding districts arrive daily to inquire about their voting rights. Police officers, overwhelmed by queries from visitors, find themselves in a difficult position. "BLOs and officials from various government departments are sending applicants here for enquiries, but we have been instructed to restrict people at the entrance," explained one cop. "There is no clear guideline on what to tell these individuals who come from far-off places. We are trying to calm them down and send them back home, but it has become challenging to manage deleted voters, many of whom are losing their cool."
This situation underscores broader systemic issues in the electoral process, where citizens like Shaikh and Ruidas are left navigating bureaucratic hurdles and financial burdens in their quest to exercise a fundamental democratic right.
