New Delhi, December 3 (IANS). West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take steps to ‘safeguard’ the second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) when the hearing on appeals on the draft voter list begins.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, in his letter to the Election Commission, has sought “immediate intervention” of the election body to appoint micro observers while hearing the claims, objections and submission of documents of voters for inclusion, deletion or correction of names in the draft list.
He has also requested to keep such observers from among the Central Government employees only to maintain neutrality.
They have expressed concern over alleged manipulation of voter rolls by State officials, and have received serious and persistent reports of undue influence being exerted to intervene at this stage.
Incidentally, the SIR process has become a political issue since it began this year. While the Election Commission is calling the process fair, opposition parties argue that it is being misused and legitimate voters are being disenfranchised. The ongoing debate over Bangladeshi infiltration further increases political tension.
West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress has launched several anti-SIR movements under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The party has alleged several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) falling ill repeatedly, even losing their lives under the pressure of work and voters committing suicide out of fear of losing their electoral rights.
The election body has strongly defended the SIR process and dismissed allegations of mass disenfranchisement as politically motivated.
The case is currently being considered by the Supreme Court, with the Election Commission saying claims of mass disenfranchisement in West Bengal are “grossly exaggerated” and politically motivated.
It stressed that enumeration forms have already been given to 99 percent of voters in the state.
Meanwhile, there have been reports of some Bangladeshi citizens gathering at the West Bengal border in an attempt to go back home.
Amid apprehensions over the SIR process, the incident has further intensified political rhetoric over infiltration.
MS/DKP