Residents block road over incorrect SIR forms

Raiganj: In protest against the alleged distribution of incorrect enumeration forms for the Special Intensive Review (SIR) programme, residents of Dhobial and Malgaon villages under Kaliyaganj Police Station areas of North Dinajpur district blocked the Kaliyaganj–Raiganj State Highway for over an hour on Wednesday

afternoon. Tension spread among the locals after receiving such incorrect enumeration forms from the Booth Level Officer (BLO).

The agitation led to long traffic jams on the route. Locals alleged that the forms distributed to them contained wrong information; their police station was mentioned as Raiganj instead of Kaliyaganj.

Upon receiving the information, police and Kaliyaganj Block Development Officer (BDO) reached the spot and assured the protesters that the issue would be resolved soon, following which the blockade was lifted. Dilwar Hossain, a resident of Dhobial village, said: “The Booth Level Officer distributed forms where our police station was wrongly printed as Raiganj. We suspect this might be a conspiracy to delete our names from the electoral roll. We were worried that these faulty forms served us. After our protest BDO reached our place and advised us to fill up Form No. 8, which will be provided shortly.”

Nitai Baisya, President of the Kaliyaganj Block TMC Committee stated: “A serious anomaly has been discovered at booth No 179 in the village of Malgaon under Kaliyaganj Police Station jurisdiction. A large number of local electors were handed enumeration forms with incorrect addresses. Though the voters reside under Kaliyaganj Police Station, their forms purportedly list Raiganj Police Station as their address.

The mistake appears systemic, possibly deliberate, as part of the SIR voter-roll

revision. These voters worry that the incorrect assignment of address may disenfranchise them, or place them under the wrong polling station or booth. The error may have been made intentionally by the direction of BJP leaders leaving common people in crisis. It is essential to judge the reason for mistakes in serious activities. It seems that the ECI is not equipped to take up this exercise.”

Kaliyaganj BDO Bidyut Baran Biswas said: “We have heard the residents’ grievances. We will have a talk with appropriate authorities.

Their problems will be

resolved very soon.”