Two paralysed voters were brought to the SIR hearing by ambulance on Wednesday, highlighting the difficulties faced by elderly and ailing voters during the verification process. Alima Bibi and Sheikh Maniruddin appeared at the hearing centre located at the district magistrate’s office in Midnapore town, fearing their names could be removed from the voter list if they failed to attend.
Both voters are over 70 years old and unable to move independently. Sheikh Maniruddin, a resident of booth number 240, has been paralysed for the past six months. He cannot move his hands or legs, cannot speak, and needs support even to sit. Despite his condition, his family felt compelled to bring him to the hearing centre by ambulance.
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Maniruddin was born in 1960 and had earlier lived in the Nazarganj area of ward number 20. Around 30 years ago, he moved to the Palbari area of ward number 18, where he now resides permanently. His wife, Piyarjan Bibi, said his name does not appear in the 2002 voter list but is listed at serial number 252 in the 2025 voter list. The family claims the entry has been mapped with his father’s name, though the Election Commission has said the mapping was not done. As a result, a hearing notice was issued.
Piyarjan Bibi said the family had no option but to bring him by ambulance due to the notice.
Alima Bibi, also paralysed, is a resident of the same ward and has been living in Palbari for the past 30 years after moving from Nazarganj. Born in 1960, her name appears in the 2002 voter list, though there is a spelling error in her husband’s name. Her daughter-in-law, Ruksana Bibi, said the Booth Level Officer (BLO) had left a notice at their home, forcing them to bring her to the hearing despite her illness.
Alima Bibi’s son, Sheikh Rajesh, said he had requested the BLO to conduct the hearing at home, but no arrangement was made. “On Wednesday, our councillor arranged an ambulance. Then we brought her to the hearing,” he said. Commission officials later completed the hearing process inside the ambulance.
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However, Bobita Singh, the BLO of the booth, said she had suggested an alternative. “BLA-2 called me and asked what would happen to these two patients. I said they should submit an application along with a medical certificate. We would then go to their homes to conduct the hearing. Still, they came here,” she said.
Responding to the issue, Midnapore Sadar sub-divisional magistrate and ERO Madhumita Mukhopadhyay said that provisions for home hearings already exist. “For sick patients, hearings are being conducted by visiting homes. On Tuesday, hearings were conducted at the homes of four people in the city. If someone is sick or elderly, hearings will be conducted at home based on an application,” she said.
AERO Sukarna Biswas Manna echoed the same view, stating that hearings are regularly conducted at residences when required. “If we had been informed, we would have conducted the hearing by visiting the home,” she said.
