A retired Indian Air Force officer, a state government employee, an IIT professor, a corporate executive, a homemaker — one apartment building in Dum Dum has as many as eight residents whose names have been struck off the electoral rolls.

Metro spoke to several of them at Dum Dum House, the four-storey building with many disenfranchised voters.

“Among those whose names have been deleted from the electoral rolls are a professor, a central government pensioner, sons and daughters of government officials, and a woman aged above 70, all of whom are long-time residents of the building and registered voters,” said Kailash Pati Mandal, secretary of the Dum Dum House Society.

“I have written several letters to the Election Commission regarding this, but there has been no reply,” Mandal said. His NGO, Sabdarnagar Education and Welfare Society, is also taking up the matter with the poll panel.

Their accounts:

Namita Das, 73

Homemaker

I found my name deleted from the electoral roll. Casting my vote is very important. But I am worried about other possible implications, too.

My biggest concern is whether my bank account would be deactivated if there is a new rule that could ask me to link it with my voter card.

I was out of Calcutta for many years because of my husband’s job. We are residents of Teghoria for three generations, and my father was an official of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.

We returned to Calcutta around 2001, and my name was included in the electoral rolls in 2007. This time, I was called for a hearing. The booth-
level officer (BLO) called
me over the phone but did not provide any written
document. My daughter went to the BLO, stood in a queue and got the letter for the
hearing.

During the hearing, I submitted all documents, including my life insurance policy taken out in 1981. One official present said the life insurance document was sufficient and nothing else was needed. But I was surprised to see my name deleted from the list published on February 28.

I have submitted Form 6 and also filed an appeal on March 16. Till date, there has been no communication from the EC.

Malay Kumar Pal, 73

Retired Indian Air Force
officer & former Airports Authority of India employee

I had not cast my vote in many elections because of my profession. But seeing my wife’s and my names struck off the rolls made me feel very sad. This shows how the EC has completely disregarded my contribution.

My father, Amritalal Pal, was with the Royal Air Force before Independence and then the Indian Air Force. The names of my brother and daughter are on the list. But the names of my wife, Suniti, 67, and me have been deleted.

The BLO called us for a hearing. When I wanted to submit documents like the Sainik Card and pensioners’ card, they said those were not required.

This is what I get for serving my country for so many years.

Krishnapriya Dutta, 35

Works with a private firm

My father was a central government employee and was transferred several times. My name was included in the electoral roll in 2013. My parents’ names were included at the same time.

I was called twice for SIR hearings and submitted my documents. The first time, officials said the age gap between my father and me was 50. That is not true. But even if it were, how is that relevant to me being able to vote? I had submitted our Aadhaar cards and my passport.

I was called a second time and asked why my name was not on the 2002 list. I pointed out that I was not yet eligible to vote then. However, my grandfather’s name was on the 2002 list. I submitted my Aadhaar card again.

Despite all that, my name was deleted. I have submitted Form 6 and also filed an appeal. But there is no communication from the EC. Every time I check the website, it says my appeal has been submitted.

Ananya Datta, 35

State government official

My parents and sister feature in the roll, but I don’t, though all of us stay in the same building. The names of my parents and grandfather are in the 2002 electoral roll. I have all documents, including a passport. I don’t know what more they need.

I was called twice for a hearing because of a mismatch in the spelling of my father’s name. The BLO called over the phone and did not serve any formal notice. The call, at night, almost felt like a threat — attend the hearing or have my name deleted.

I submitted my Aadhaar card and asked whether my father’s documents were needed. They said ‘no’. There was a second hearing, where I was asked to submit my father’s Aadhaar, PAN and voter cards. Still, my name was deleted. I have no clue why.

I have submitted Form 6 and also filed an appeal. But there has been no communication from anyone.

I am clueless about whether I will be able to vote.