Karandighi, Uttar Dinajpur: As the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls continues to fuel intense political and public debate in West Bengal, the issue resonated strongly in Karandighi, Uttar Dinajpur, on Saturday.
The CPI(M) Uttar Dinajpur District Committee organised a special legal assistance camp on SIR at the Gopalpur MSK ground in the Domohana area of Karandighi. The programme brought together residents seeking clarity on electoral rolls, voting rights and the legal aspects of the ongoing revision process.
Among those present was Calcutta High Court advocate Samim Ahammed, who addressed the gathering and spoke at length about SIR, voting rights and the role of the Election Commission.
Ahammed said, “I have come here to fight against ‘vote theft’ and to restore voting rights. We are in this fight.”
His remarks came amid renewed national attention on the functioning of the Election Commission. A recent investigation by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over 10 months regarding several decisions connected with electoral rolls and the SIR process. The report said their concerns included changes to voter registration procedures, deletion and restoration of names, and access to the electoral-roll database.
Against this backdrop, Ahammed sharply criticised Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. He alleged that Kumar, while heading a constitutional institution, was attempting to undermine the Constitution.
Ahammed further claimed that people must come together to oppose what he described as an assault on constitutional and voting rights.
In one of the strongest parts of his speech, Ahammed referred to Gyanesh Kumar as a “traitor” and argued that, in his view, a person he describes in such terms should not hold a constitutional position.
However, the allegations against Gyanesh Kumar, including references to “vote theft” and “destroying the Constitution”, as well as Ahammed’s description of him as a “traitor”, are statements made by Samim Ahammed and are not being presented here as independent facts or as findings of a court or constitutional authority.
Ahammed also stressed the importance of protecting every citizen’s right to vote. According to him, the purpose of the campaign is to ensure that citizens in a democratic country can exercise their franchise and choose their representatives.
The SIR debate has gained further prominence following The Indian Express investigation. In its response to that report, the Election Commission said that differing views were part of its decision-making process and maintained that decisions taken during the period were unanimous, while the report noted that the Commission did not dispute the existence, dates or contents of the 14 notes referred to in the investigation.
From Legal Assistance Camp to Farmers’ Rally
The programme in Gopalpur did not end with the legal assistance camp.
After the legal session, a farmers’ rally organised by the Kisan Sabha was taken out in the area. The day therefore witnessed both a legal awareness programme centred on SIR and a political mobilisation linked to the farmers’ organisation.
For the residents gathered at Gopalpur, the discussion around SIR was not limited to electoral paperwork. Questions surrounding voter rights, the electoral roll and the legal safeguards available to citizens became central to the day’s proceedings.
From the Gopalpur platform, Samim Ahammed called for a continued struggle to protect voting rights. His strong remarks on the Election Commission and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar added a sharp political dimension to an event that was formally organised as a legal assistance camp on SIR.
With SIR remaining one of the most closely watched electoral issues in West Bengal, the developments in Karandighi have become another local chapter in the wider debate over voter rights, electoral rolls and the functioning of the Election Commission.
