Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata
Kolkata, Feb 2: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a firm warning against any attempts to disrupt the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar conveyed this message during a meeting with a Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the ECI headquarters in New Delhi on Monday.
According to sources from the Commission, the CEC emphasised that the rule of law must prevail and that any individual taking the law into their own hands will face strict action under the powers vested in the ECI. The Commission also flagged incidents of TMC legislators using abusive and threatening language against electoral officials, including the CEC, and highlighted cases of vandalism targeting offices of electoral registration officers (EROs), sub-divisional officers (SDOs), and block development officers (BDOs).
“No pressure, obstruction, or interference of any kind should be exerted on officers engaged in the SIR exercise,” the insider quoted the CEC as saying.
The meeting also addressed several administrative issues related to the SIR process. CEC Kumar stressed that the honorarium for booth-level officers (BLOs) must be released promptly, noting that only Rs 7,000 of the Rs 18,000 due per BLO had been paid. Additionally, he expressed concern that despite a January 20 request to appoint returning officers from the ranks of sub-divisional magistrates, sub-divisional officers, and revenue divisional officers for all 294 Assembly constituencies, appointments have been made for only 67 constituencies so far.
The CEC also voiced displeasure over the unapproved departmental transfers of three bureaucrats involved in the SIR process and noted the lack of action by the state government to revoke these transfers, despite earlier directions from the Commission. Further, he highlighted the non-compliance in disciplining four officials—two electoral registration officers and two assistant EROs—whose involvement in electoral roll manipulation had been proven.
While chief minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking to the media after the meeting, accused the CEC of “arrogance” and alleged selective targeting of West Bengal, she did not provide specifics about the points of disagreement. However, ECI insiders clarified that the issues revolved around the administrative and procedural lapses noted during the SIR exercise.
The meeting underscores the ongoing tensions between the ECI and the state government as the Commission moves to ensure a smooth and transparent revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal.