346 descendants of Mir Jafar, former Nawab of Bengal, deleted from Murshidabad voter list after SIR

The Election Commission has struck approximately 346 descendants of the Mir Jafar lineage off the electoral rolls in Murshidabad, requiring the 15th-generation members of the former ruling dynasty to re-establish their citizenship before legal tribunals. The mass exclusion, confirmed following the publication of the latest supplementary list for Booth No. 121 in Lalbagh, includes prominent figures such as 82-year-old Syed Reza Ali Meerza and his son, a sitting Trinamool Congress municipal councillor. While local administrators maintain that no formal complaint has been lodged by the family as of Wednesday, the affected individuals claim their Indian identity is historically and legally documented, having previously been validated by the Supreme Court. The timing of the deletion threatens to disenfranchise the clan for the upcoming first phase of voting scheduled for April 23.

Mass Deletions in Lalbagh Electoral Roll

A total of 346 individuals belonging to the extended nawabi clan have found their names missing from the final voters' list at Lalbagh Nav Adarsh High School in Murshidabad. Syed Reza Ali Meerza, popularly known as ‘Chhote Nawab’, told TOI that nine members of his immediate family were wiped off the roll despite his personal appearance at adjudication hearings where officials reportedly assured him of their inclusion. His son, Syed Mohammad Fahim Meerza, who serves as a Trinamool councillor from ward 10, told TOI that the family remains clueless regarding the exclusion, noting that their names had been consistently present on the rolls since at least 2002.

Historical Citizenship Claims and Legal Precedent

The family asserts that their status as Indian citizens is established by both historical choice and judicial recognition. Syed Reza Ali Meerza told TOI that his ancestor, Wasif Ali Meerza, notably declined an offer to become the President of Pakistan during Partition to remain in India. The family further claimed that their intervention was instrumental in ensuring Murshidabad became part of India after it was briefly marked as part of Pakistan for three days post-Independence. Syed Mohammad Fahim Meerza questioned the current exclusion by citing past legal validation, telling TOI that the Supreme Court had previously recognized their specific lineage.

Administrative Response and Tribunal Redressal

The district administration has stated it is prepared to handle the matter through established legal channels once a formal grievance is recorded. Murshidabad DM R Arjun told TOI, "We have not received any complaint of largescale deletion from the Nawab family. If and when we do, we will guide them through the procedure for approaching the tribunal for redressal." The family, however, expressed concern to TOI that the tribunal process may not be completed before the district goes to the polls on April 23, effectively preventing them from participating in the 2026 elections.

Context of the Nawabi Lineage in Murshidabad

The affected individuals are descendants of Mir Jafar, the commander-in-chief who became the Nawab of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey in 1757. The family currently resides near the iconic Killa Nizamat in Lalbagh, an area that historically served as the seat of power for the dynasty that once governed Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. The recent "special intensive revision" shifted their status to 'under-adjudication' before the final removal from the roll was confirmed in the supplementary list.

(With TOI inputs)