Mir Jafar’s Descendants Missing from Voter List in Murshidabad

The incident came to light during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list ahead of the upcoming 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.

The exclusion reportedly affects over a hundred members of the Nawab family residing in the Killa Nizamat area of Murshidabad district. Despite participating in the verification process, many family members found their names missing from the final supplementary lists published by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

• Reza Ali Mirza’s Statement: Reza Ali Mirza, a 15th-generation descendant of Mir Jafar, stated that the family had attended the required hearings and submitted all necessary documentation as per the ECI’s notice.

• Uncertainty Over Voting Rights: The omission has created deep uncertainty regarding the family’s ability to exercise their franchise in the April 2026 polls, leading to a local political outcry.

The removal of the Nawab family’s names is part of a much larger and more controversial electoral cleanup in West Bengal.

Mass Deletions: According to ECI data, approximately 5.8 million names were removed from the state's voter rolls during the enumeration phase of the SIR, citing reasons such as death, migration, duplication, and "untraceability."

Adjudication List: As of late March 2026, millions of names remain under "judicial scrutiny." While supplementary lists are being released—the third was published on March 29—technical glitches on the ECI website have made it difficult for citizens to verify specific deletions or inclusions.

Appeals Process: Affected individuals, including the descendants in Murshidabad, have been advised that they can appeal the exclusion before appellate tribunals within 15 days, though the exact locations and operational status of these tribunals remain under discussion between the state government and the Calcutta High Court.

The exclusion of a family with such deep historical roots in Murshidabad has become a focal point for critics of the SIR process. Local leaders argue that if a family with documented lineage and fixed residency can be omitted, it raises serious questions about the accuracy of the automated and intensive verification methods used for the general population.