Confusion over the first supplementary list of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal persists within 24 hours of the list being released on Monday by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The list decides the fate of close to 29 lakh voters in West Bengal under the adjudication category from the final SIR list released on February 28. Sources say around 10 lakh voters have been deleted from the list, which is 40 per cent of the first supplementary list, though the exact number of deletions is still not clear as the list is not consolidated and is being released in parts for the 294 assembly constituencies.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lashed out at the ECI on Tuesday over the lack of preparedness and harassment caused to voters under the scanner. “Why was the supplementary list published at night? The lists have still not been put up in blocks and districts, and people are still unaware of their voting status. Even yesterday, two people committed suicide. The number of SIR-related deaths is now almost over 200,” said Banerjee before leaving for her campaign in Siliguri in North Bengal.
The CM went on to question why the EC sought a week’s extra time to release the supplementary list and whether this time was used to add extra voters of a specific party, hinting at the BJP. “Whatever names have been added to the supplementary list have only been added as a result of our case in the SC. Why does the ECI fear publishing the full list with clarity? It must be because the ECI isn’t entirely truthful and transparent, otherwise this wouldn’t have taken so long, especially after the judges had finished their work long back,” added the CM.
She urged all political parties to come together against the autocratic one-party rule of the BJP and its agencies. “I’m not asking this for any political support from any party; this is entirely to save and protect democracy and the Constitution. It’s time to forget differences in politics. You don’t need to stand by me, but standing by the people is of utmost importance right now,” she said.
She pointed out the ECI’s alleged bias, saying, “I am here to prove only one thing to you, that this ECI is not unbiased. In the EC’s notification, there is the BJP’s symbol, which has been published in newspapers. Under whose directions is the ECI functioning?” asked the CM.
She alleged that Nandigram’s Block Development Officer (BDO) was being brought to the Bhawanipore constituency. BJP leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari is contesting from both seats.
Seventy-three returning officers were replaced on Monday, in addition to around 70 IAS and IPS officers from the state, a move by the ECI which the CM condemned
Voters’ harassment
Mohammad Shafiul Alam, a booth-level officer (BLO) from Bashirhat in North 24 Parganas district, has to reapply as a fresh voter as his name has been deleted in the first supplementary list. Alam is disappointed after being instrumental in helping voters in his constituency with the SIR exercise and being left out of the SIR supplementary list.
The names of his parents are in the 2002 SIR, and despite furnishing relevant documents as per EC guidelines, he stands to lose his voting rights in the upcoming assembly elections.
“My name is not in the list, and the reason is not mentioned. There was ‘under adjudication’ written on my name earlier, but now it is written in Bengali on the top of the list that it is deleted. I have been told to reapply within 15 days,” said Alam, a BLO of Bashirhat North assembly constituency.
“I have digitised my own enumeration form and helped people whose documents were not in place. Now I am noticing that despite many voters submitting documents as per the list of 13 relevant documents suggested by the EC, voters’ names have been deleted,” added the BLO.
Like Alam, several voters placed in the under-adjudication category face an uncertain future. More than 700 judges were appointed to scrutinise documents to decide on genuine voters. The second supplementary list will be released in the coming days, which will decide the fate of the remaining 30 lakh voters. A total of 60 lakh voters were placed in the under-adjudication category. West Bengal goes to the polls on April 23 and 29, leaving little time for judicial officers to process and clear the names of voters under the adjudication category.
