By Vartha Bharati
Kolhapur: The gram panchayat of Shingnapur village in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur district passed a resolution on 5 September barring the registration of new Muslim voters in electoral rolls. The panchayat’s decision, which specifically targets Muslims ‘recently arrived’ in the village, has sparked controversy, with local rights groups calling it unconstitutional.
The resolution demands that the names of new Muslim voters be excluded from the rolls and any names already included be removed. The panchayat clarified that the decision was made to address concerns over ‘illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.’
Muslim rights bodies, including the Muslim Education Society, have condemned the move, stating it violates the Indian Constitution. They filed a complaint with the District Magistrate, demanding criminal action against those responsible and calling for the panchayat’s suspension.
In response to the backlash, Sarpanch Rasika Patil issued a video statement, claiming the resolution was being misrepresented to harm communal harmony. She expressed regret for the miscommunication and apologized to the Muslim community, assuring that no such actions would be taken.
This is not the first controversy for the Shingnapur panchayat. In August 2023, it passed a resolution prohibiting the allotment of village land for religious functions, specifically targeting land assigned to the Waqf Board.
This story was originally published in english.varthabharati.in. Read the full story here.