Cooch Behar: Concerns have arisen among residents of the former enclaves in Cooch Behar district as several women married outside the enclaves find their fathers’ names missing from the 2002 voters’ list—a key document for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
According to local sources, around 1,500 women from 51 enclaves were married to other areas, creating confusion over their eligibility during the SIR verification. Residents fear these women might face difficulties in inclusion due to the missing details in the 2002 list.
To address the issue, enclave residents met the District Magistrate (DM) twice this week—first on Thursday and again on Friday—to submit detailed information and seek assurance. Following the meeting, the District Magistrate assured the residents that no one would face any inconvenience. He informed that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in the respective areas where these women currently reside would be notified to ensure smooth processing of their forms.
Officials further clarified that residents must mention their enclave origin in the SIR forms to avoid discrepancies. Once that is done, the pending issues are expected to be resolved. Saddam Hossain, a resident of one of the enclaves, said: “About 1,500 girls from 51 enclaves were married elsewhere. Their fathers’ names do not appear in the 2002 list, which made us anxious. We met the District Magistrate, who assured us that the matter will be resolved. BLOs of the areas where these women now live will be informed.”
He added: “We have also received full assurance from Udayan Guha. From tomorrow, we will start filling out the SIR enumeration forms.”