Naxalbari, 16th January: Fear of their names being removed from the voters’ list has once again brought the ground realities of administrative processes to the fore in Naxalbari. A distressing scene was witnessed outside the Naxalbari BDO office, where an elderly couple stood in the queue with the support of walking sticks to attend an SIR (Special Intensive Revision) hearing.
Station Para residents Sabit Lal Mishra (79) and his wife Madhuri Devi Mishra (70) attended the hearing despite advanced age and serious health conditions. Sabit Lal Mishra’s name has been included in the electoral roll since 2002, yet he reportedly received a notice to appear for the SIR hearing.
Reportedly, the couple is battling multiple ailments. Sabit Lal Mishra suffers from hearing and vision impairment, while Madhuri Devi Mishra is an asthma patient. Despite these challenges, they were compelled to visit the BDO office, where they allegedly faced inconvenience and administrative lapses.
Speaking about the experience, Madhuri Devi Mishra said they are illiterate and were alarmed after receiving the notice despite their names being on the voters’ list for over two decades. She said they were informed that those whose names are not verified could be deleted, prompting them to attend the hearing out of fear.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the voter list revision process and the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens, particularly elderly voters, during the ongoing SIR exercise.