KOLKATA — An elderly man was crushed to death after allegedly jumping before a running train in the Purulia district of West Bengal on Monday, days before he was supposed to appear for a hearing for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, reported PTI.
82-year-old Durjan Majhi’s name had not appeared on the draft voter list published on December 16, following which he got a notice to appear for hearing, his son Kanai said. He had been asked to appear for the hearing at the Para Block Development Officer’s (BDO) office.
Kanai, who works as a daily labourer said that his father’s name was removed from the draft list despite it being on the 2002 electoral roll.
“My father had submitted the SIR enumeration form, but his name was not on the draft voters’ list. His name was on the 2002 voters’ list… He had been anxious since getting the hearing notice on December 25,” he said.
Slamming the deaths due to SIR, Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee on Tuesday called it a “torture” for the poor people of the state and said that around 60 people have so far lost their life over the contraversial exercise.
The CM described it as a “huge scam” being conducted with the help of artificial intelligence (AI).
More than 58 lakh voters were deleted from the draft rolls published on December 16, after the initial phase of SIR in the state. Out of the 7.6 crore total voters, the Election Commission has also raised speculation regarding the “genuineness” of about 1.66 crore voters, who have been called for hearing to verify their documents again.
Meanwhile, the EC on Monday issued an order stating that electors aged 85 years and above, as well as those who are sick or persons with disabilities, may not be called for personal hearings if a specific request is made by them or on their behalf.
