Arrested terror suspect’s name still in Murshidabad voter list despite removal request

Shab Sheikh, an individual arrested in connection with the Bangladesh-based militant group Ansarullah Bangla Team, remains listed as a voter in the draft voter list for Murshidabad, West Bengal, despite efforts to have his name removed. The name, which appears on the voter list for the Kedar Tala area in Hariharpara, continues to be present in the upcoming list for January 2024.

On December 12, a formal request to remove Shab Sheikh’s name was submitted to the Booth Level Officer (BLO). Following this, the BLO conducted an investigation, and the report was sent to the Assistant Electoral Registrar for review. However, the required administrative process to finalize the removal has not yet been completed, delaying the exclusion of his name from the list.

The nationwide process for updating the voter list began on November 12 and ended on December 12. During this period, the inclusion and exclusion of names were processed, with Shab Sheikh’s request submitted on the last day of the period. The draft voter list, set to be published on January 6, will still contain his name, as the removal procedure has not been finalized. However, officials from the Murshidabad district administration have confirmed that Shab Sheikh’s name will be excluded from the final voter list, which is scheduled for release in March 2024.