The highest percentage of deletions due to untraceable/absent voters is from Krishnaganj Assembly seat Nadia with 42.11% deletions. Image for representation. | Photo credit: PTI
An analysis of voter deletion of the majority-Matua Assembly constituency in West Bengal reveals a high number of permanently displaced and untraceable voters during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
An analysis of about 15 Matua-dominated assembly constituencies by the Kolkata-based Sabar Institute pointed out that an average of 33.95% of the crossed-out voters were described as permanently displaced. The average number of untraceable/absent voters in these 15 constituencies is 21.56%. These 15 constituencies are located in North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts.
The highest percentage of deletions due to untraceable/absent voters is from Krishnaganj Assembly seat Nadia with 42.11% deletions. Ranaghat Uttar Purba followed with 34.56% deletion due to untraceable/absent voters in the same district.
The highest percentage of deletions due to permanently shifted voters was recorded in Bangaon Dakshin constituency with 41.76% deletions. This was followed by a 38.46% wipeout in Swarupnagar due to permanently displaced voters. Both these constituencies are located in North 24 Parganas.
Sabir Ahamed of the Sabar Institute said a joint evidence-based analysis of the SIR exercise in West Bengal was conducted by Ashin Chakraborty and Souptik Halder.
Mr. Ahamed pointed out that the dominant political narrative portrayed in West Bengal was that electoral rolls are filled with Rohingya and Bangladeshi names, but our study reveals a completely different reality.
“The Matus are a vulnerable social group, although they have been staying here for years, they remain excluded from the list. A political promise to grant them citizenship is still in sight,” he added.
Mr Chakraborty said the Matua community was one of the most affected groups in the SIR process.
“In constituencies like Krishnaganj, ‘untraceable/absent’ has become a major reason for voter deletion, which is uncommon in most parts of the state. This is a serious problem and needs urgent attention, especially as the Matua community is already socially and economically marginalized,” Mr. Chakraborty said.
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Surname analysis
The researchers also conducted an analysis of surnames in the Matua belt in these 15 constituencies, which pointed out that people with the surname Biswas accounted for the highest 20.79% deletion. This is followed by people with the surname Mondal with 17.83% deletions and the surname Das with 10.78% deletions. All three surnames are used by the population of Matua.
The Matuas are a social group that largely includes Namashudras who have migrated from Bangladesh in the last few decades. The Hindu refugee community mostly residing in North 24 Parganas and Nadia district are worried about SIR as they lack past records. SIR’s concerns in the past few weeks prompted the Matuas to apply for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019.
The population of Matuas has been adversely affected by the deletion of SIR, as evident from recent remarks by Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Matua leader Shantanu Thakur, which drew criticism from his political opponents.
“If 50 lakh Rohingyas, Bangladeshi Muslims and Pakistani Muslims are removed in SIR, while one lakh of our own people have to stop voting for a while, where will we get more?” Mr. Thakur said at a BJP event in West Bengal’s Hanskhali-Garapota on Monday.
Published – 28 Dec 2025 22:10 IST
