High Rate of ‘Shifted’ and ‘Untraceable’ Voters in Matua-dominated Seats in West Bengal, Finds Study
New Delhi: An analysis of 15 Matua-dominated assembly constituencies in West Bengal indicates a high prevalence of "permanently shifted" and "untraceable" voters during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The study, conducted by the Kolkata-based Sabar Institute, found that an average of 33.95% of deleted voters in these seats were categorised as "permanently shifted." Additionally, the average for "untraceable" or "absent" voters stood at 21.56%.
The constituencies surveyed are located in the North 24 Parganas and Nadia districts, areas with a significant population of Matuas, a Namashudra community of Hindu refugees from Bangladesh.
In West Bengal, the Krishnaganj assembly seat in Nadia recorded the highest percentage of deletions due to "untraceable" or "absent" voters at 42.11%. This was followed by Ranaghat Uttar Purba in the same district, with 34.56%.
For the "permanently shifted" category, the Bangaon Dakshin constituency in North 24 Parganas topped the list with 41.76% deletions, followed by Swarupnagar at 38.46%.
Also read: In the SIR Era, Bengal's Matua Heartland Confronts Collapse of CAA-era Promises
The researchers, Ashin Chakraborty and Souptik Halder, also conducted a surname analysis. It revealed that individuals with the surname "Biswas" accounted for the highest share of deletions at 20.79%, followed by "Mondal" (17.83%) and "Das" (10.78%). All three surnames are common within the community.
Narrative versus reality
Sabir Ahamed of the Sabar Institute stated that the data contradicts the dominant political narrative.
"The dominant political narrative portrayed in West Bengal was that electoral rolls are being filled with Rohingya and Bangladeshi names; however, our study reveals a completely different reality," Ahamed said. "Matuas are vulnerable social groups [who], despite residing here for years, remain excluded from the rolls."
Chakraborty noted that the "untraceable" tag becoming a primary reason for deletion in seats like Krishnaganj is uncommon for the state and requires urgent attention.
Political reaction
The impact of the SIR on the community was highlighted by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Matua leader Shantanu Thakur. Speaking at an event on Monday, Thakur questioned the trade-off involved in the revision process.
"If 50 lakh Rohingya, Bangladeshi Muslims and Pakistani Muslims are removed in SIR, while one lakh of our own people are required to stop voting for a while, where are we gaining more?" Thakur asked.
The community’s lack of legacy data has reportedly fuelled apprehensions regarding the revision, prompting many to apply for citizenship under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
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