44 voters in Malda marked 'dead' on the list! Controversy before Panchayat polls

The names of at least 44 people have disappeared from the voters' list in West Bengal's Malda. According to the electoral roll, these 44 people have been marked as dead, ahead of the panchayat polls. The missing names from the voters' list in booth numbers 74 and 75 have caused a stir in the Golapganj gram panchayat in Kaliachak.

The 'dead voters' have now approached the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Kaliachak III with a written complaint. They have alleged a conspiracy behind the disappearance of their names from the voter list.

The BDO has assured that no living person's name would be removed from the voter list. One of the complainants said his and his wife's names were removed from the list that classified them as dead when they were in fact alive and eligible to vote. Another complainant, identified as Rupak, called for strict punishment against the person responsible for the missing names.

Meanwhile, Malda Youth Congress president Sarwar Jahan has accused the Trinamool Congress of conspiracy to steal votes in the upcoming panchayat election. The TMC is losing ground in Malda and hence they are trying to steal votes. If action is not taken, we will approach the court, he said.

Responding to the allegations, Trinamool district president Abdur Rahim Bakshi said the administration will see to it and the party will demand the district magistrate to take immediate action. The West Bengal panchayat polls are due this year.