KOLKATA: After a day-long uncertainty, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday officially published list of voters categorised as having “logical discrepancies” and those deemed “unmapped” in West Bengal.
The poll body faced uncertainty in complying with the Supreme Court directive after Booth Level Officers (BLOs) engaged in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal did not receive the required software until late on Saturday.
The list will be made available from Sunday at government offices, gram panchayats and municipal wards across the state, according to sources in the Commission.
According to ECI sources, implementation of the SC’s order was delayed because BLOs had not yet received the software required to release the names of voters who had been served notices over data discrepancies and asked to appear at hearing centres.
“We did not get the software till this evening. The delay in getting the software also affected the entire process in compliance with the SC order. Now the software has reached us and the process, including downloading, printing and displaying such a huge volume of data, is almost ready,” sources at the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said.
On Monday, the Supreme Court had directed the ECI to display the names of voters belonging to the “logical discrepancies” and “unmapped” categories during the SIR of electoral rolls at the offices of gram panchayats, blocks, talukas, subdivisions and municipal wards in the state.
The exercise must be completed in a timely manner and all persons given a fair opportunity, the division bench comprising CJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Dipankar Datta observed.
In compliance with the SC’s directions, the poll body on Wednesday instructed West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal to display the names of voters listed under “logical discrepancies” and “unmapped” categories by January 24 at gram panchayat bhawans, public places in every subdivision and block office, as well as municipal wards across the state.
In its directive to Agarwal, the ECI also stated, “The persons, figuring in these two categories (‘Logical Discrepancies’ and ‘unmapped’) are permitted to submit their documents/objections through their authorised representative, who can even be a Booth Level Agent (BLA). There shall be an authority letter, by the person, in favour of such representative, whether signed or thumb-marked.”
The CEO was asked to earmark a gram panchayat bhawan, block office or ward office for each part of the electoral rolls, preferably within or near the polling station area, for submission of documents and hearings.
“The affected person can submit documents/objections at the designated panchayat bhawan or block office or ward office. Further, up to ten days from displaying the names of the persons in the panchayat bhawans/block offices/ward offices,” the national poll panel said in its order on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee, while addressing a virtual conference with Booth Level Agents (BLA-2), MPs, MLAs, party leaders and workers, alleged that the SIR process was unplanned and inhuman.
Banerjee also alleged that the Commission had yet to fully implement the SC’s directives related to the display of names of voters in the “logical discrepancy” and “unmapped” categories. He further claimed that 126 people had died so far due to the inhuman SIR exercise in the state. The ruling party will organise protests against the SIR drive in every block across the state on January 25, observed as Voters’ Day, he said.
