Jaleswar: It may sound queer, but true. Scores of voters in the fringe areas of Jaleswar block in Balasore enjoy the unlawful privilege of casting their vote in both Odisha and West Bengal.
This has also ensured them availing benefits from both the states. Over years, the administration has not acted upon such illegality of double voting.
According to reports, hundreds of people have their names in the voter lists of the both the states.
It is said that as many as 45 villages in Netua, Sugo, Nachhimpur, Gobarghata, Makidia, Olamara and Sardarbandh panchayats under this block share borders with West and East Midnapur districts.
Strangely, there are some people whose houses are in the territory of Odisha and farmlands and ponds in West Bengal.
It is vice verse in several other cases too. In fact, Surbarnarekha river passing through the area is regarded as the boundary line for the two states.
The river has set the limits between Dantun police station in West Bengal and Raibania police station in Balasore. As scores of people have properties on both sides, they have the privilege of having two voter identity cards.
They also take benefits of ration, pension, housing, loans and calamity relief from both the states. Locals observed that a person casting vote twice and that too in two separate states is blatant violation of constitutional norms.
They have long been opposing such illegality of enjoying dual benefits, but the administration has been sitting quiet.
It was learnt that 32 people of Netua panchayat, 13 of Sugo panchayat, 20 of Nachhimpur panchayat, 100 of Gobarghata panchayat, 52 of Sardarbandh panchayat and 15 of Olamara panchayat have names in the voter lists of West Bengal and Odisha.
Locals have demanded that the leaders and the administration take steps to rescind their names from the voter list of West Bengal.
PNN