Congress Takes to the Streets in Balurghat, Alleging Harassment in SIR Hearings

January 22, 2026 Times of Dakshin Dinajpur 

Congress Hits Balurghat Streets over Alleged Harassment in SIR Hearings

Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Balurghat

The South Dinajpur District Congress Committee on Thursday staged a protest march and submitted a memorandum to the Sub-Divisional Officer in Balurghat, accusing the Election Commission of harassing ordinary citizens under the guise of hearings related to the SIR process.

Party leaders alleged that the hearings, intended as an administrative exercise, had instead become a source of distress for the general public. Describing the process as “unnecessarily coercive,” Congress representatives said people were being summoned repeatedly, causing disruption to their daily lives.

The protest began at the district Congress office in Balurghat, from where party workers and leaders marched through the town’s main thoroughfares. The procession concluded outside the office of the Sub-Divisional Officer, where demonstrators raised slogans and held a brief sit-in.

Among those leading the march were South Dinajpur District Congress president Gopal Deb, former district president Swapan Biswas, and several senior party leaders. Following the demonstration, a delegation submitted a formal memorandum to the Sub-Divisional Officer, demanding an immediate review of the hearing process and relief for affected citizens.

Congress leaders said the protest was aimed at safeguarding democratic rights and ensuring that electoral procedures do not become instruments of intimidation.