In a significant development for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal, Motab Shaikh, a Congress candidate from Farakka in Murshidabad district, has regained his voter status. Following an intervention by the Supreme Court, retired Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court T S Sivagnanam conducted a special hearing and ordered the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reinstate Shaikh's name in the voter list. The ECI had previously deleted his name citing 'technical reasons,' but the court found his identification documents, including a passport, sufficient for validation. Shaikh's case highlights ongoing issues with the voter registration process in West Bengal, where over 60 lakh individuals have been affected by deletions. The ECI is still in the process of setting up tribunals to handle appeals related to these deletions, with significant delays reported. As of now, approximately 57 lakh cases have been processed, but the exact number of deletions remains unclear. The Farakka seat, previously held by the Congress party for five consecutive terms, was won by the Trinamool Congress in the last election, making Shaikh's candidacy crucial for his party's efforts to regain influence in the region.