Kolkata, 19 January (H.S.) :
Traditionally nomadic communities, commonly known as Banjaras, who have recently settled in parts of West Midnapore district, are facing renewed uncertainty following the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. Lacking documentary proof from before 2002, several families now fear losing their voter status.
For generations, these communities led a wandering life, without permanent homes. In recent years, however, some families broke away from that tradition and settled permanently in Malibandhi and Nagra areas under Jogardanga gram panchayat in Garbeta-II block. They built makeshift huts, found local work, and with the help of local leaders, obtained Aadhaar cards, ration cards and voter IDs.
That stability is now under threat. Since their names do not appear in the 2002 electoral rolls, their enumeration forms have reportedly failed to match official records during the mapping process. As a result, their names were included in the “no mapping” list, and they were summoned for revision hearings.
On Friday, several residents—including Rina Karmakar, Shikha Karmakar, Mani Karmakar, Deepak Karmakar, Manoranjan Mahali, Chuni Mahali, Bhutanath Mahali, Lal Mahali and Deba Mahali—appeared before the Garbeta-II Block Development Officer (BDO). The Mahali families reside in Malibandhi, while the Karmakar families live in Nagra.
Speaking at the hearing, Rina Karmakar said they had no ancestral home or records. “We spent most of our lives moving from place to place. We do not even know whether anyone in our family ever had a voter card earlier. We settled here only a few years ago,” she said. The families acknowledged that local political leaders had assisted them in obtaining Aadhaar, ration and voter cards.
Some families also received support from Christian missionary organisations to build small houses. However, apart from recently issued identity documents, they possess no other papers. Most voter cards were issued only one-and-a-half to three years ago, making it impossible for their names to appear in the 2002 rolls. They are also unaware of their ancestral villages or whether their forefathers were registered voters.
Rani Karmakar said her two daughters are married in Raghunathpur village of Bandowan in Purulia district, where their sons-in-law changed their surnames from Malwar to Karmakar after settling locally. Manoranjan and Chuni Mahali said they earlier survived on begging and selling honey before finally settling in Malibandhi. “This is where we first made our Aadhaar and voter cards. We do not know what will happen after the hearing,” they said.
Sunil Kumar Hembram, a primary school teacher and Booth Level Officer (BLO) from Malibandhi, said 13 voters from his booth have been called for hearings. “They do not have any additional documents beyond what they have already submitted. The final decision rests with the Election Commission,” he said.
Garbeta-II panchayat samiti president Dinabandhu De said several former nomadic families from Jogardanga gram panchayat have been summoned. “There is uncertainty over what their future will be after the hearings,” he added.
Similar concerns have emerged in Garbeta-III block, particularly near Chandrakona Road station, where many nomadic families have lived for years. Twenty-four-year-old Kalabati Singh, who appeared at the Garbeta-III BDO office, said her ancestral home was in Rajasthan. “I submitted some old documents of my grandparents from Rajasthan, but it is still unclear whether my name will remain on the voter list,” she said.
China Mukhopadhyay, BLO of Booth No. 117 in Garbeta-III block, said most nomadic residents of the Chandrakona Road station area have been called for hearings. “Only two or four of them had names in the 2002 electoral rolls. The rest were not mapped, which is why they have been summoned,” she said.
As the SIR process continues, the fate of these newly settled nomadic families remains uncertain, raising concerns over inclusion, documentation and the right to vote.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
