In SIR line: World Cup hero Richa Ghosh, ex-India footballer Mehtab Hossain, 3 ministers among 60L voters

KOLKATA/SILIGURI/MALDA: T20 World Cup-winning Team India member Richa Ghosh, former footballer Mehtab Hossain, and Bengal ministers Shashi Panja, Md Ghulam Rabbani and Tajmul Hossain are among the 60 lakh Bengal voters facing judicial scrutiny to determine whether they can vote in the upcoming assembly polls.

Wicketkeeper-batter Ghosh and sister Somshree found their names in the "under adjudication" category on the final voters' list published on Saturday. Ghosh, currently training in Bengaluru, was not at home in Siliguri during the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll. Father Manabendra Ghosh said he had handed over all necessary documents on behalf of the cricketer, who is also a deputy superintendent of Bengal Police, to Election Commission representatives involved in the SIR.




"Richa could not be present during the SIR due to her professional commitments. I submitted every necessary document for her. We will find out what needs to be done now. They will reapply (for enrolment), if needed," he said.

Local councillor Mousumi Hazra, who visited the Ghosh residence on Sunday, said, "Richa is the pride of not just our state, but the entire nation. We will approach EC on the matter on Monday."

The Bengal CEO issued a statement saying Ghosh's "relative" had submitted documents, but "it appears that the ERO/AERO concerned did not dispose of the case". The CEO's office has sought a report from the ERO/AERO.

Hossain, a resident of Mallikpur in South 24 Parganas who played for India, said he was "shocked" to find his name in the "under adjudication" category.

'Have all papers to prove I'm an Indian'

I have been playing since 1998. The nation has seen me on the field as an Indian footballer. My name appears in the 2002 electoral roll. I have been told that I am under adjudication because 'Mohd' was added before my name on the voter card. I have all the documents to prove my identity as an Indian," said former footballer Hossain.

State minister Shashi Panja said she is under adjudication despite producing all EC-specified documents. "The names of my husband and two daughters are on the list. Only my name is in the 'under adjudication' category. I suspect this was done deliberately. The SIR harassment started the day I was called for a hearing. There was no spelling mistake in my name in the 2002 roll. Keeping me under adjudication is the second part of this harassment," she said.

Minister Md Ghulam Rabbani, who represents North Dinajpur's Goalpokhor in the assembly, said, "Ministers and MLAs usually have the least trouble with enlistment. To find my name under adjudication is shameful." Around 78,000 voters in Goalpokhor have their names in the "under adjudication" category on the voters' list.

Junior minister Tajmul Hossain said he was a victim of a conspiracy hatched by EC and BJP. "I have been targetted because of my political affiliation. I had submitted all required documents, yet I am under adjudication, along with thousands of voters in Harishchandrapur (the Malda constituency he represents in the assembly)."

Yasin Pathan, a crusader for communal harmony, said his son, Tasbir Pathan Badshah, and two daughters, Tania Parveen and Tamanna Parveen, are under adjudication.

"My children's names were on the draft list. We attended a hearing and submitted birth certificates, school certificates and my 2002 records. But they are still in the 'adjudication' category," said Pathan, who had received Kabir Puraskar (a presidential award) for his work to preserve 42 Hindu temples in Pathra in West Midnapore.

EC, in a late night statement, said several EROs/AEROs did not decide on cases after the hearings and the pending cases were sent to judicial officers for adjudication.

(Inputs from Sujoy Khanra in Midnapore & Sukumar Mahato in Murshidabad)