The Left Front in the Darjeeling district will launch a public protest against voter names deleted or placed under adjudication during the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls through a public meeting in Siliguri on March 14.

On Wednesday, Left Front leaders said the protest, to be held at the Tikiapara Ground in the city, would have Md Salim, the state CPM secretary, as the main speaker.

The public meeting
would also highlight issues such as corruption and
the deprivations faced by
plantation workers and
marginalised communities.

Saman Pathak, the Darjeeling district CPM secretary, said residents across the state faced “unprecedented harassment” during the SIR process, with many genuine voters finding their names either deleted or under adjudication.

“We are organising the public meeting to protest against the deletion of common voters’ names from the electoral list and also against the fact that a large number of voters have found their names under the adjudication category,” Pathak said.

“Through this meeting, we want to send a clear message that under no circumstances should the names of genuine electors be removed from the voter list,” he added.

Ahead of the Assembly elections, the Left Front leaders described the gathering as the first major political meeting of its kind in the area.

Pathak held both the BJP and the Trinamool Congress responsible for what he termed “harassment” of common people during the SIR process.

He criticised the Trinamool-led state government for alleged corruption and failure to ensure basic rights for marginalised communities.

“There are several irregularities in the Trinamool-run board of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation. It has failed in providing basic civic services to people in the city,” Pathak said.

In Malda, the CPM has scheduled a sit-in demonstration at Foara More, a prominent crossing in the town, on Thursday, to protest against SIR-related anomalies. The party will also submit a memorandum to the district magistrate, said sources.