What was our crime, why can’t we vote, ask Indians deleted by SIR
Times of India | 29 April 2026
Kolkata: Several Indian citizens living in the city for generations had knocked on the door of the tribunal appellate authority when the SIR, conducted by the Election Commission, struck their names off the electoral roll. A judicial scrutiny later, when a number of them still found their names missing from the inclusion list issued on the orders of the tribunals early on Tuesday, they raised a common question: "What was the crime that prevented us from voting?"
"The tribunal cleared 1,468 more citizens' names, allowing them to vote in the second phase of the Assembly election, but luck did not go in my favour. My son, an MBBS student, is also disappointed after not finding his name on the latest list," said Entally resident Shamim Akhter, a professor at Aliah University. "During the hearing, I furnished them all my documents, including my passport, and my son was mapped to me. Both of us were under adjudication and could not clear it. We filed appeals in the tribunal following the SC order. But on Tuesday, we were left utterly disappointed as our names were not included. We won't be able to cast our vote on Wednesday. The reason for the deletion of our names is not explained."
"What is my crime? Why can't I vote? I am also being forced to raise these questions after discovering that my voting right has not been restored, even after I moved the tribunal," said Imran Zaki, a resident of Weston Street in Bowbazar. He has been voting since 1988 and this will be the first time that he will not be allowed to do so. "Despite having valid papers, my name has not appeared on the electoral roll. It's not only a personal disappointment but also a serious concern for democratic rights and transparency," said Zaki, a businessman and social worker.
Charu Market area resident Sonu Hela, a youth who has a hearing impairment and cannot speak, had visited Survey Building with his father, Raju, to file his appeal in the tribunal after his name was deleted from the roll earlier. "I called up the BLO on Tuesday morning and learnt that my son's name was not included on the list. He won't be able to cast his vote on Wednesday. He cannot express his pain but it is painful for me to look at him now," said Raju.
Having gone through various ups and downs in life, Renu Khatun, a nurse in East Burdwan, who relies on a prosthetic limb after her arm was chopped off by her husband, was not spared the SIR deletion blow. "After I did not pass the judicial scrutiny, I made an appeal in the tribunal with a plea for restoration of my voting right. I have been a regular voter ever since I came of age. But I shall not be able to exercise the franchise on Wednesday as the tribunal did not clear my name. I had hoped my name would be there, but that did not happen. I am disappointed," she said.