00:00Now today was the last day for West Bengal's tribunals to clear names that have been deleted
00:04from the voter list ahead of the first phase of polls in Bengal. There are at least 27
00:09lakh names that are still up for adjudication. Over 34 lakh appeals have also been filed with
00:15tribunals. But no information has been made public about the number of appeals that have
00:20been cleared in West Bengal. The tribunals will continue working till the second phase of polling
00:25but there are a question mark. Are they working simply too slowly to meet the deadline? And
00:30will lakhs of voters as a result lose out their right to vote? Our reporters have this special
00:37report.
00:39The deadline for clearing appeals of deleted voters ahead of the first phase of voting in Bengal
00:44ends. Those left out won't be able to cast their votes. With the tribunals not conducting
00:51physical hearings, there was only a trickle of visitors to the office where the appeals
00:56were being decided. Hassan Khan, a student from Berdwan, left home at 4A and travelled 150
01:04kilometres to reach the Jokha tribunal, driven by the fear of losing his mandate. He still
01:10has hope as his constituency votes in the second phase.
01:14In the DM office, we have submitted online. We have submitted online. We have submitted online.
01:24But after that, there was no call or no call. That's why we came to see what is happening or
01:31not.
01:33Rohan Mukherjee, an IT professional, is foxed by the lack of transparency. Despite being tech-savvy,
01:40Rohan found the process of appeals opaque and frustrating.
01:45I essentially called the BLO when I did not see my names in the first two lists. And what
01:53he mentioned that he is currently looking into the matter. He would talk to his supervisors
01:59and after that he did not directly call me. He called or I think messaged my father that
02:07the name got deleted and you have to do other procedure. He did not actually mention what
02:12is the procedure that we need to follow. So right now we are sort of in doubt.
02:18Minajul Hussain, a primary school teacher, is a booth-level officer in the Sitai Assembly
02:23constituency. On Thursday, when voting takes place, he will be assisting voters at the booth.
02:28In an election, he may not be able to vote himself if his name is not cleared by the tribunal.
02:51Over 60 lakh voters were put under an adjudication process, at the end of which over 27 lakh names
02:58were deleted. The deletions were based on what the EC called logical discrepancies.
03:04A software-driven process that wasn't followed in other states. Now their fate hangs in the balance.
03:15It is the day of final mandate for lakhs of people. But here the air still remains to be thick
03:21and doubtful.
03:22As we stand outside this tribunal, which is all set to release the final list that will determine the names
03:29of those people who will be allowed to cast their mandate in the first phase of West Bengal Assembly elections.
03:35Remember, these names are not mere list of ledgers. But this is going to be their ticket to the democratic
03:43process.
03:45However, there are a lack of people still awaiting a formal response from the election commission.
03:51And for them, the uncertainty looms large.
03:54With video journalist Laysan Loth, Tapu Shangupta for India Today in Kolkata.
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