Tmc mla provides proof to sec about 6k illegal immigrants listed as voters - the statesman

Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, explosive allegations have emerged from the Sundarbans areas, where Kakdwip MLA has claimed that voter ID cards are being issued to

illegal Bangladeshi migrants for as little as Rs 10,000. As Indian authorities have intensified surveillance along border areas, these explosive allegations have emerged from the southern

part of West Bengal, stirring the political atmosphere of Bengal. Trinamul Congress (TMC) legislator Monturam Pakhira from the Kakdwip constituency in South 24-Parganas has alleged a

widespread voter ID fraud facilitated by local administrative officials. Pakhira claims that nearly 6,000 names on the electoral roll in his constituency may belong to individuals of

questionable citizenship status. He has submitted a formal complaint to the Election Commission, prompting a preliminary survey by local authorities. According to administrative sources in

the Kakdwip sub-division, a number of individuals in the Ramkrishna, Swami Vivekananda, and Pratapadityanagar village panchayat areas have admitted to paying money to secure voter

identification, despite lacking Indian birth certificates. “These people have been living here for years, many of them from Bangladesh,” Pakhira told reporters. “A racket involving brokers

and some officials at the SDO and BDO offices in Kakdwip is behind this illegal operation. Voter IDs are being sold in exchange for money—this is a scam worth lakhs of rupees,” he added.

Pakhira alleged that the majority of the beneficiaries are fishermen of Bangladeshi origin who have settled in India over the years. Many reportedly possess Aadhaar and ration cards but had

previously failed to obtain voter IDs until recently, when they allegedly paid intermediaries to get enrolled in the voters’ list. Advertisement One such individual, Sujay Sarkar, admitted

to paying for his inclusion in the electoral roll. “I have been living here for 35-36 years. I had no birth certificate, but I have an Aadhaar card,” he said. “My wife got her voter ID

earlier. I submitted my documents long ago, but nothing happened until I paid around Rs 10,000 to some local TMC workers,” he added. Another woman, who identified herself as a migrant from

Bangladesh, said her family has been living in Kakdwip for years. “My husband is a fisherman, and my children go to school here. We couldn’t afford to pay for the voter card, but others did

and got it,” she said. “We want to stay in this country.” The allegations have stirred political unrest in the region, with opposition parties demanding an independent investigation into the

alleged involvement of government officials and local political workers. The Election Commission has yet to issue a statement, and officials from the state government declined to comment

when contacted. Advertisement Advertisement