BALURGHAT: A severe shortage of low-value government stamp papers has triggered distress among voters in South Dinajpur district, particularly in Balurghat, as thousands rush to file affidavits following exclusions from the electoral roll under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
According to official figures, a total of 1,32,258 voters were placed in the ‘adjudication’ list during the revision process. Of them, 55,490 names have been reinstated, while 76,768 voters have been excluded. Those left out are now approaching tribunals to restore their names, a process that requires affidavits executed on government stamp papers—primarily of Rs 10 and Rs 20 denominations.
However, the sudden surge in demand has led to an acute shortage of these stamp papers in Balurghat. Long queues have been witnessed outside the district court premises since early morning, with many people waiting for hours to secure the required documents.
Mohammad Robiul Islam, who travelled from Kumarganj, said: “Our names were deleted during the SIR process. We need to submit affidavits to the tribunal but Rs 10 and Rs 20 stamp papers are not available anywhere. After standing in line for nearly three hours, I managed to get a Rs 50 stamp instead. The administration should look into the matter.”
Echoing similar concerns, Maleka Beyoa said: “We are facing immense difficulties due to the shortage. Without stamp papers, we cannot proceed with the affidavit process. Despite waiting for hours, the required denominations are simply not available.”
The issue has sparked a political controversy. Satyendranath Roy, BJP candidate and outgoing MLA of Gangarampur, alleged foul play. “There is a reported unavailability of Rs 10 and Rs 20 stamp papers. This appears to be a result of collusion, creating an artificial crisis to harass common people and provoke anger against the Election Commission,” he claimed.
Refuting the allegations, Subhash Chaki, president of Balurghat Town Trinamool Congress, said the crisis is a result of increased demand. “The number of affidavits has gone up significantly. Earlier, around 100 affidavits were filed daily at the district court. Now, the number has surged to 1,000–1,200. The BJP’s claims of an artificial crisis are baseless,” he said.
Debraj Chakraborty, secretary of the Balurghat District Court Bar Association, confirmed supply constraints. “We receive around 100 stamp papers a week, which is insufficient given the current demand. The shortage is due to reduced supply from the government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sanjay Roy, district president of the All Bengal Stamp Vendors Association, stated that while the demand for Rs 10 stamp papers is high, supply remains limited. However, he claimed that Rs 20 stamp papers are relatively available, offering slight relief amid the ongoing crisis.