Cooch Behar: Panic and anger spread through the Khapaidanga area under the Cooch Behar North Assembly Constituency after around 500 names were reportedly missing from the voter list at Booth No. 303 — even before the launch of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
The revelation sparked unrest among locals, who fear being disenfranchised ahead of crucial elections. On Wednesday, anxious residents thronged the office of the District Magistrate (DM), demanding answers and accountability.
Accompanied by Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, they alleged foul play and pressed for an immediate correction of what they described as a “serious and alarming” lapse in the electoral rolls.
According to locals, the current voter list for Booth No. 303 at Khapaidanga Aided Primary School contains only 140 names, whereas the 2002 voter roll had 770 names when the area was part of the Natabari Assembly Constituency.
Moreover, some individuals who reportedly voted in the 2024 elections found their names missing.
Khagen Roy, one of the affected residents, said: “All our ancestors have lived here for generations. When I checked the current voter list, my name was missing. Naturally, I panicked and came to meet the District Magistrate to resolve the issue.” TMC observer for Cooch Behar North, Subhankar De, alleged that the deletions were politically motivated.
“When we checked the list online, only 140 names appeared. Earlier, there were 770. This appears to be part of a larger conspiracy. BJP leader and former Union minister Nishit Pramanik recently said that three lakh names would be omitted in this district. It seems the process has already begun,” he claimed. The BJP leadership has so far declined to comment on the matter.