Kolkata: The rush at govt offices continued on Saturday as voters sought to file appeals to get their name back on the electoral roll but many were turned away and asked to return with documents they had already submitted during the enumeration phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).After failing to file appeals on Friday, several applicants returned on Saturday hoping for better luck. Instead, many alleged harassment in the offline process, with some being nudged towards filing appeals online.On Friday, officials cited a “government holiday” and “other election-related duties” for not accepting appeals. On Saturday, applicants were reportedly told their requests could not be processed as they had not brought supporting documents along with a formal application.This has caused confusion, as senior Election Commission officials had stated last month that no additional documents would be required for those submitting offline appeals at the offices of district magistrates or sub-divisional magistrates. However, visitors who arrived without documents were asked to produce them, putting their appeals on hold.“Is the door to justice closed for me?” asked Rukmini Manna, a resident of Garden Reach, who visited the Survey Building in Alipore seeking restoration of her voting rights. “My name and those of four family members were struck off the electoral roll. On Friday, no officials were available. Today, I was asked to bring documents and a formal application, which I wasn’t aware of. Though I was told to come next week, I was also advised to file the appeal online,” she said.To avoid repeated visits, some applicants turned to the online process with help from neighbours. Jabir Hossain, a 71-year-old voter from Metiabruz, said his name had been on the rolls since 2002 but was recently deleted without explanation. “After several attempts, I managed to file my appeal online, requesting restoration of my voting rights,” he said.Meanwhile, uncertainty continues for others. Thirty-five days after the electoral roll was published on Feb 28, Imran Zaki from Weston Street near Bowbazar remains under adjudication. “I don’t know if I will be allowed to vote this time. I have been voting since 1988 and have all necessary documents. Yet my citizenship has been questioned, and my voting rights remain in limbo,” he said.
