Naxalbari, 03rd January: Fresh questions have been raised over the role of the Election Commission after a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing notice was issued to a specially-abled voter in Naxalbari.
The specially-abled voter, Tirtha Bahadur Rai, appeared for the hearing at the Naxalbari BDO office. A resident of Sukanta Pally in Bagdogra, Tirtha has been physically challenged since birth and has a 60 per cent disability. He is also a beneficiary of the state government’s disability allowance.
According to sources, the hearing was scheduled as his family members’ names were reportedly missing from records dating back to 2002. To attend the hearing, Tirtha travelled around nine kilometres by hiring a vehicle, accompanied by his elder brother and sister-in-law. It was also reported that Tirtha faces difficulty in speaking.
Expressing concern, Tirtha’s brother Sushen Rai said the process would have been more convenient if officials had conducted the verification by visiting their home, given his brother’s physical condition. The incident has once again sparked debate over the Election Commission’s approach towards specially-abled voters.