Kolkata: In a surprising error during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of West Bengal’s draft voter list, a young man from Chinsurah has been mistakenly recorded as “dead” even though he is very much alive. Devomoy Bhattacharya, who was born and brought up in Chinsurah, is currently living with his wife in Jamshedpur for work. His elderly parents, Snehamoy and Sikha Bhattacharya, reside in Chinsurah.
When the SIR process began, a Booth Level Officer (BLO), Malay Dutta, visited Devomoy’s home to collect enumeration details. The family provided all required information and even showed his Jamshedpur voter card.
Devomoy himself spoke with the BLO to confirm the details for updating the list. Despite this, when the draft list was published, his name was not only missing from the updated voter rolls but was also incorrectly listed under “dead”.
The senior couple expressed shock and frustration at seeing their living son marked as deceased. They said this mistake is unacceptable and should be corrected by the officials responsible, as at their age they cannot afford to run around for corrections. Previously, the same error happened with a TMC Councillor Surya Dey, Ward 18, Dankuni, Hooghly.
After seeing dead in the draft voter list he went to the crematorium urging for the “last rights”.
In his case, the concerned BLO has accepted his fault and the office of the Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), on Tuesday, sought a report from the District Electoral Officer (DEO). The same mistakes have also been reported from parts of North Bengal.
Meanwhile, an elector has been show-caused by the EC for furnishing wrong details in the enumeration form. The concerned voter’s name has featured in both the draft lists of Shyampukur in Kolkata North and Ashoknagar in North 24-Parganas.
The person himself has signed on one of the forms, and another person has signed on the other form.
According to Commission sources, the voter has been showcaused and will be called for a hearing to clarify.
In another development, the poll panel, which was scheduled to begin issuing hearing notices to electors from Thursday, failed to do so. The delay was attributed to the time taken to translate the notices into the local language. The notices are now expected to be sent from Friday.
According to sources, 75 objections have been received over the draft voter list.