TMC’s Byron Biswas, Zakir Hossain cleared from adjudication

Kolkata: Two Trinamool Congress MLAs from Murshidabad - Byron Biswas and Zakir Hossain, whose names were under adjudication, have been cleared in the supplementary list published by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday midnight.

Biswas, who is an MLA from Sagardighi Assembly Constituency and Hossain from Jangipur, both in Murshidabad, are recontesting from the same seats and have therefore breathed a sigh of relief. Till the publication of the supplementary list, there was uncertainty whether the two leaders would be able to file nominations.

Hossain and Biswas had alleged a conspiracy behind the omission of names and accused the Election Commission of acting in favour of the BJP. “We have faith in the judicial system. Many people in the area are in panic. We have asked them not to worry,” Hossain said. Biswas, on the other hand, also expressed anger over the issue, stating that the party would not accept what he termed a conspiracy to influence the elections.

The names of five TMC MLAs - four from Murshidabad and one from South Dinajpur — did not figure normally in the final voter list published by the ECI.

In Murshidabad alone, 2,78,837 names were omitted from the draft list, while 5,200 new voters were added.

The total number of voters in the final list stands at 54,75,470. In the final voter list, nearly 60 lakh voters were reportedly in the pending category with Murshidabad district topping the list.