Kolkata: Many citizens whose names have been struck off the electoral roll are preparing to file appeals for restoration of their voting rights. Desperate to get back their voting rights, the deleted voters are set for another “examination” that they are praying to pass. However, the appellate tribunals for hearing appeals against orders passed by the judicial officers in respect of the inclusion or exclusion of prospective electors in the electoral roll will not begin functioning from Thursday, Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal said on Wednesday.Earlier, the EC stated that the deleted voters who opt for offline mode to appeal would have to visit the DM/SDM/SDO office where officials would ensure the digitisation and uploading of their appeal on the ECINET platform. Following this announcement, some deleted voters or their kin already turned up at govt buildings on Wednesday to enquire about the process and when it will begin. But they had left without any proper information.“I am anxiously waiting to make an appeal to the tribunal to bring my name back on the roll. I have all the documents. I was shocked to find that my name has been deleted,” said Dhananjoy Rajak, a resident of Rashbehari constituency.The Calcutta High Court has chosen SP Mookerjee Institute at Joka under the ministry of Jal Shakti as the location for the tribunals. All 19 tribunals will be set up there. “Today, we got a letter from the ministry. They have allotted the space for eight weeks. If more time is required, the EC will arrange space at alternative places or request the ministry for an extension,” Agarwal said.On being asked whether the tribunals would begin functioning from Thursday, he replied, “How could it be? Basic infrastructure is required. Will the judges work sitting on the ground? I can’t say when the tribunals will start functioning.” The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed that all former judges appointed to appellate tribunals be given training on the same day.
