West Bengal

IIE DIGITAL DESK : The concerning revelation from the North Howrah Assembly constituency, a voter list has surfaced that includes the names of approximately 45 individuals who have been deceased for over a decade. This anomaly was identified at Booth No. 218 in Ward No. 13 of the Howrah Municipal Corporation, covering areas such as Salkia King's Road and Pitambar Bandyopadhyay Lane. Residents have expressed alarm over the persistence of these names on the electoral roll, despite the passage of many years since their deaths.

Among the deceased listed are individuals like Sangram Singh, who passed away 20 years ago, and Brajbhushan Singh, who died 17 years ago. Additionally, Vidyadevi Chowdhury and her husband Sridhar Narayan Chowdhury, who died 13 years ago and the previous year respectively, are also still listed as voters. Families of these individuals have reported notifying the district electoral office about their relatives' deaths, yet no action has been taken to remove their names from the voter list.

This oversight has raised serious concerns about the potential misuse of these deceased individuals' identities in future elections. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) have voiced apprehensions that these names could be exploited to cast fraudulent votes. BJP state secretary Umesh Rai commented on the situation, stating that the voter list in the area is so compromised that it includes not only the deceased but also individuals who have long since moved away. He emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive revision and cleansing of the voter list.

In response, Gautam Chowdhury, the TMC legislator for North Howrah and president of the Howrah district TMC, highlighted that the responsibility for updating the voter list lies with the Election Commission. He mentioned that the party had submitted a list of deceased voters through the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), but no updates have been made. Chowdhury has called upon the Election Commission to ensure the creation of an accurate and transparent voter list ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

This incident underscores the critical importance of maintaining an up-to-date and accurate electoral roll to uphold the integrity of the democratic process. The persistence of deceased individuals on the voter list not only reflects administrative lapses but also poses a significant risk of electoral fraud. It is imperative that the Election Commission takes immediate and effective measures to address this issue, ensuring that the electoral process remains fair, transparent, and representative of the living electorate.