TMC claims 63-year-old man tried to end life in Bengal's Cooch Behar over SIR fear
Cooch Behar (PTI): The TMC on Wednesday claimed that a 63-year-old man in West Bengal's Cooch Behar attempted suicide fearing harassment due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and accused the BJP and the Election Commission of triggering panic across the state.
Police said Khairul Sheikh, a resident of Jitpur in Dinhata, allegedly consumed poison as "he was anxious over his name being wrongly recorded in the 2002 voter list". He is currently undergoing treatment at the Cooch Behar district hospital.
"We learnt that he was anxious for several days after discovering that his name had been incorrectly recorded in the 2002 voter list," a senior police official told reporters, adding that the exact reason behind his suicide bid would be clear once his condition improves.
The incident comes a day after a 57-year-old man in North 24 Parganas' Panihati allegedly took his own life, leaving behind a note blaming the NRC for his death.
The twin incidents have fuelled fresh political confrontation in the state over the SIR drive.
After meeting the family of the deceased in Panihati, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, "I have heard that one more person has tried to end his life in Cooch Behar. He is presently hospitalised and under doctor's observation. We wish him a speedy recovery."
The TMC escalated its attack through a strongly worded post on X, saying, "Two lives. Two tragedies. One cause. BJP's politics of hate. How many more lives will it take, Narendra Modi, for you to stop weaponising citizenship?"
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while virtually inaugurating from Kolkata the ‘Saras Mela’ in the Darjeeling Hills, turned towards North Bengal Development Minister Udayan Guha, and said, "I just heard a person consumed pesticide in your district. Please go to the residence of the person by this evening."
She, however, did not specify or elaborate.
TMC leader Partha Pratim Roy alleged widespread panic among former enclave residents in Cooch Behar, claiming they fear being declared "outsiders in their own land".
"The Commission must take responsibility. Two consecutive incidents show how the SIR is affecting lives," he said.
The BJP has dismissed the allegations, saying the SIR process is a routine exercise to clean the voter rolls.
"The allegations are baseless. They are trying to give a political twist to every incident," a local BJP leader said.
The EC has not yet commented on the controversy.
Police said investigations are underway to determine whether both incidents were linked to the ongoing verification drive.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
