A 75-year-old woman from Baduria in North 24 Parganas district died on Monday, days after suffering a cerebral attack, with her family alleging that severe mental stress following a voter verification hearing led to her death.
Anita Biswas, a resident of Shimulta Durgapur in Baduria, was summoned to the local BDO office on January 5 after her name was found missing from the 2002 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) voters’ list. According to her family, the incident caused her extreme anxiety, which worsened her existing health condition.
Anxiety after official hearing
Family members said Anita Biswas, who had been a registered voter since 1995, was distressed by the questioning during the hearing. Her son, Kashinath Biswas, stated that she was the only member of the family whose name did not appear in the 2002 voters’ list.
He alleged that she was unable to answer some questions posed by officials, which left her shaken. After returning home, she repeatedly expressed fear that she could be jailed. Despite attempts by the family to reassure her, she suffered a stroke on January 7.
Health condition worsened by stress
Anita Biswas was admitted to Basirhat District Hospital, where she later died. Her daughter, Soma Haldar, said Anita already had a heart condition and that the additional mental pressure proved fatal.
“She had all the required documents, but the stress overwhelmed her. The fear and anxiety took a toll on her health,” she said.
Political reactions and allegations
Local leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress visited the family and accused the Election Commission of India of harassment. They alleged that what they termed the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “politics of suspicion and intimidation” had crossed moral limits.
The incident has reignited debate over the psychological impact of voter verification processes on elderly citizens.