In Bengal draft roll, Mohd Salim’s son surname changed to Avasti: ‘Reflects EC’s unplanned exercise’

Atish Aziz, a voter in the Kolkata Port Assembly constituency, said the change in surname raises questions about the Election Commission's exercise of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in West Bengal.

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Atish Aziz said the matter has been reported to the booth-level agents of the CPI(M) to rectify the mistake. According to party sources, the name correction process will be initiated by filling the necessary forms through the concerned Booth Level Officer (BLO).

A day after the Election Commission released the draft electoral roll of West Bengal on the conclusion of the first phase of the SIR, senior CPI(M) leader Mohammad Salim’s son, Atish Aziz, on Wednesday pointed to the error in the list and claimed that his surname has been changed to ‘Avasti’.

While there is no error in Salim’s own voter details, his surname is ‘Avasti’ in the list of his relatives.

Atish Aziz, a voter in the Kolkata Port Assembly constituency, said the change in surname raises questions about the Election Commission’s exercise of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in West Bengal.

“I live in Kolkata. My father was a parliament member for so many years, and now this ‘mistake’ has appeared. It is easy to understand what is happening to people who are not so-called privileged people like me. It is part of a larger infrastructural and unplanned process,” Aziz said.

“The Election Commission has made me and my father a Brahmin,” he added.

Meanwhile, Salim hit out at the Election Commission. In an interview with an English daily, he said, “The Commission has taken such a serious revision process very lightly. Lack of proper training and technical preparation is causing such mistakes. SIR has practically been turned into a farce.”

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However, a senior EC official said, “We have checked. There is no mistake in the original draft electoral roll. This mistake happened when it was translated into Bengali because Kolkata’s original electoral roll is in English. Even after that, if such a mistake occurred, the concerned elector can correct his or her name by filling up Form 8 and submitting it to the BLO or via online.”

Atri Mitra

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain. Experience Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express. Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news. Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions. Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal. Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla. Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent. Education Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting. Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University. Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur. Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More

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