Thursday, January 12 2006 14:52 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Krishnagar (WB): Election Commission Observer K J Rao, now visiting poll-bound West Bengal, today (Jan 12,2006) visited Karimpur and Tehatta areas bordering Bangladesh in Nadia district and personally struck off names of duplicate voters and those of Bangladeshi origin.

Rao, of Bihar election fame, who is on a 6-day visit to the district since monday last to supervise the revision of electoral rolls and the election machinery, went from door to door in these areas and talked to the voters.

Rao. who met leaders of political parties in Krishnagar earlier, scanned the list for voters of Bangladeshi origin and struck their names off.

Also deleted were the names of married women voters who no longer resided in the area.

Rao yesterday (Jan11,2006) visited various parts of Nabadwip, Shantipur, Phulia and Ranaghat areas and deleted the names of several voters either dead or non-resident.

He also met district officials at the Block Development Office (BDO) at Phulia in the district bordering Bangladesh.

Rao is one of 19 observers the Election Commission has despatched to the state where there have been allegations by political parties of widespread irregularities in the voters' list.