Cooch Behar, April 12: The district administration yesterday published the final voters' list with names of people who stayed in the erstwhile Bangladeshi enclaves in India and started distributing voter cards among them.
"I am happy to announce that we have finalised the voters' list for the population residing in the former Bangladeshi enclaves. We have also started distributing voter identity cards. The total number of voters in the 51 former enclaves that became part of the Indian mainland on July 31 last year is 9,776. Of the total number, 567 people are those who have come to stay here from former Indian enclaves in Bangladesh," said the Cooch Behar district magistrate, P. Ulaganathan.
The total population of the 51 former enclaves and those who opted for Indian citizenship stands at 15,786.
Out of this, 922 people who came from Bangladesh are staying in camps set up by the government here.
"We feel like celebrating as we will be voting for the first time. We congratulate the administration for completing the process so that we can cast our votes. Me, #my wife, three daughters and two sons will vote this time, finally," said Asgar Ali Miyan, a resident of the former enclave of Mashaldanga. He is said to be 104 years old.
The Election Commission had announced the polls for Cooch Behar district in the final phase on May 5 to get the process of enrolment completed.
According to sources in the district administration, the voters from the former enclaves would vote in the three Assembly segments of Dinhata, Sitalkuchi, Mekhliganj and Sitai.
"Almost 70 per cent of the voters would vote for the Dinhata and Mekhliganj Assembly Assembly seats. These two constituencies had the maximum number of Bangladeshi enclaves. We have ensured that the polling stations are within 2km of their residences and camps," said a source in the district administration.