WB: Bangladesh origin voters face Rao's axe

Election Commission Observer K J Rao on Thursday struck off voters of Bangladeshi origin from the electoral rolls during his visit to Karimpur and Tehatta areas in West Bengal's Nadia district, bordering Bangladesh.

Rao, who is on a six-day visit to the district since Monday last to supervise the revision of electoral rolls and the election machinery, went from door to door in these areas and talked to the voters. The Bihar election hero met leaders of political parties in Krishnagar and scanned the list for voters of Bangladeshi origin and struck off their names. Also deleted were the names of married women who no longer resided in the area.

Rao had on Wednesday visited various parts of Nabadwip, Shantipur, Phulia and Ranaghat and deleted names of several voters were either dead or non-resident. He also met district officials at the Block Development Office at Phulia in the bordering district.

Rao is one of 19 observers sent by the Election Commission to the state, where there have been widespread allegations by political parties of irregularities in the voters' list.