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High number of ‘untraceable voters’ in Matua-dominated Assembly seats
Survey of 15 constituencies shows a high rate of ‘absent voters’
The statement added that voters whose names are in the ASD list can fill up Form 6 and give it to the Booth Level Officer
The Matua-dominated assembly seats accounts for a high rate of “untraceable” voters after the first phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls concluded in West Bengal, a survey has shown.
According to the data collated for 15 assembly seats by SABAR Institute, a Kolkata-based public policy research institute, Krishnaganj, Ranaghat Uttar Purba, Bagda, Gaighata, among others have a high rate of untraceable or absent voters.
In Krishnaganj, out of 13,200 deletions, 42.11% are untraceable or absent voters, which is more than 33.09% deceased voters and 23.52% permanently shifted. Ranaghat-Uttar Purba has 34.56% untraceable or absent voters out of 15,912 deletions. In Bagda, out of 24,927 deletions, 30.02% are untraceable voters; Gaighata has 23.37% untraceable voters out of 16,718 deletions; in Matua-dominated Bangaon-Uttar, out of 26,183 deletions, 21.09% are untraceable or absent.
The institute also surveyed Nabadwip, Krishnanagar-Dakshin, Shantipur, Ranaghat-Uttar Paschim, Ranaghat Dakshin, Chakdaha, Kalyani, Haringhata, Bangaon-Dakshin, Swarup Nagar which have more than 10% absent and untraceable voters.
Ashin Chakraborty, researcher at SABAR Institute said, “Despite the political narrative, the Matua community is among the most vulnerable in the SIR process. The unmapping rate in the Matua belt is significantly higher than the state average. In constituencies like Krishnaganj, “untraceable or absent” voters account for the key reason for deletion, which is rare across the state. This warrants serious attention as the Matuas are a highly marginalised population.”
“Contrary to popular political narrative, Matuas are found to be the most unmapped groups. Political promises remain largely on paper and a large number of them fear disenfranchisement. The SIR has revealed the hollowness of political promises and the data proves the most vulnerable groups,” said Sabir Ahamed, researcher with the Pratichi Trust.
Meanwhile, a political slugfest erupted between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party over voter deletion in the Matua community.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Mamatabala Thakur slammed the BJP and SIR for the deletion of names, while BJP Lok Sabha MP and Union
MoS Shantanu Thakur has been asking Centre to expedite CAA applications.
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On Wednesday, supporters of both groups clashed at Thakurnagar over the BJP leader’s recent remark that “if one lakh Hindu voters are required to stop voting for a while to remove 10 lakh infiltrators, then it has to be accepted”. “It is true that names of some people from the Matua community will be struck off from the voter list during SIR. That is why we are asking all to apply for CAA. We assure
everyone will get their citizenship, regain their voters rights,” Shantanu had said on Wednesday.
Mamata Thakur said, “After his (Shantanu) statement, our supporters went to him to seek clarification. But his supporters brutally thrashed our people.”
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