Mass Matua deletions feared, Mamatabala threatens protests across Bengal seats
Telegraph | 1 March 2026
The publication of the preliminary final electoral roll on Saturday triggered political unrest in several Matua-dominated Assembly segments in south Bengal and parts of north Bengal amid indications that a substantial number of voters from the community were excluded.
Although segment-wise figures of voters kept under adjudication were not immediately available, the pattern of deletions in nearly 20 Matua-dominated constituencies has sparked anxiety within the community and sharpened the confrontation between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP.
In south Bengal, at least 20 Assembly segments in North 24-Parganas and Nadia — many of which fall under the Bongaon and Ranaghat Lok Sabha constituencies — are known for significant Matua presence.
Data provided by the Nadia district administration reveal that names of 8,048 voters were deleted in Santipur, 6,704 in Ranaghat North West, and 2,537 in Krishnaganj, located along the Indo-Bangladesh border. In neighbouring Ranaghat North East, 6,404 voters were dropped, while Ranaghat South recorded 7,126 deletions.
In other Matua-dominated segments of Nadia, the numbers remain substantial. Chakdaha saw 5,826 deletions, Kalyani — under Bongaon Lok Sabha constituency — 9,037 voters, mostly claimed to be Matua, were excluded. Haringhata recorded a fall of 1,637 voters, Nabadwip 1,056, Tehatta 2,357, and Krishnanagar East 2,717 voters whose names were deleted.
North 24-Parganas presents a similar picture. In Bagda, where Trinamool recently secured victory in a byelection, 14,735 voters — the highest in the district — were excluded. Other significantly Matua-dominated segments like Bongaon North recorded 6,111 deletions, Bongaon South 6,716, Gaighata 6,769, Swarupnagar 2,743, Habra 5,587, and Ashoknagar 5,546 deletions.
The pattern extends to north Bengal as well. Dabgram-Fulbari Assembly segment recorded a striking fall of 16,491 voters. In Matigara-Naxalbari, 8,170 names were deleted, while in Gazole of Malda district, 5,203 voters were not included in the list published on Saturday.
Chief of the Trinamool faction of the All India Matua Mahasangha, Mamatabala Thakur, alleged that the deletions disproportionately affected her community.
“Around 90 per cent of the deleted names belong to the Matua community,” she claimed, announcing a major movement demanding immediate inclusion of the excluded names.
The preliminary final rolls released on Saturday included 7.04 crore voters, while the draft rolls published on December 16 last year had 7.08 crore voters. To prepare the draft roll, the names of 58 lakh absent, dead, shifted, and duplicate voters were deleted from the 2025 rolls, which had 7.66 crore voters.
Many among the Matuas — historically marginalised, largely from lower caste backgrounds, and migrants from Bangladesh — are reportedly facing exclusion because of issues such as wrong mapping and absence of personal or parental linkage with the 2002 benchmark voters’ list.
A section of them, despite having managed to enrol their names in subsequent years, now find themselves unable to establish documentary continuity under the current scrutiny.
The implications extend beyond administrative rectification. The Matua community forms a decisive electoral bloc in several border districts, particularly North 24-Parganas and Nadia, and has in recent elections emerged as a swing constituency between Trinamool and the BJP.
Any perception of large-scale disenfranchisement is therefore fraught with political consequences.
Mamatabala Thakur threatened to launch street protests. The community had earlier organised a hunger strike over the SIR issue, amid fears that implementation of the exercise could jeopardise their citizenship status.
“So far, the BJP has been saying that there will be no problem for the Matuas. And now the names of a large number of Matuas were deleted from the voters’ list,” she said.
Targeting Union minister and BJP leader Shantanu Thakur, she added: “Now Shantanu Thakur is raising fingers at the Election Commission, whereas earlier he said that he would stand by the Matuas. Now he is saying the opposite.”
Her daughter and Trinamool’s Bagda MLA Madhuparna Thakur alleged that over 14,000 voters' names were deleted in her constituency alone.
“Apart from the high number of deleted voters, another 13,000 voters are under adjudication. Most of these people are Matuas. We will stand by them and fight for their right to vote,” she told reporters.
The BJP sought to downplay the scale and intent of the exclusions.
Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said: “No big number of voters belonging to the Matua community were excluded. Around 95,000 voters have already applied for citizenship under CAA, and they will soon be issued citizenship certificates, which will be sent to the Election Commission, and they will naturally be included in the voters’ list. I will request all those people who are yet to submit their citizenship application to submit the same immediately for inclusion in the voters’ list.”
A BJP leader belonging to the Matua community said: "There is still around a month's time. Matuas should not be worried at all. Things will change once the citizenship certificates are issued by the Centre. It will be a disaster for Trinamool Congress eventually."