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'Game Of Destruction': Mamata Banerjee Questions Appointment Of Micro-Observers For Bengal SIR
'Game Of Destruction': Mamata Banerjee Questions Appointment Of Micro-Observers For Bengal SIR
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Election Commission of India over a large-scale “purge" from voter lists ahead of the assembly polls and questioned the appointment of micro-observers for the special intensive revision exercise in the state.
Banerjee alleged that the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is a massive exercise in disenfranchisement, stating that millions of voters – specifically women and vulnerable groups – have been illegally purged from the rolls. With the draft list containing entries across crores of names, she argued it is impossible for the public to check for errors in such a short window.
“Before the elections, the Election Commission (EC) is cutting off the voting rights of half the people and deciding who will be allowed to vote," Banerjee told reporters, adding that she has no choice but to raise her voice. “…a draft list was released day before yesterday. How is it possible to check names among crores of entries? Names have been illegally deleted without giving people an opportunity to show cause. Women have been selectively targeted."
She questioned the removal of 5.4 million voters, alleging it is a “game of destruction" orchestrated by the BJP that is operating from within the office of the Election Commission of India (ECI). She said “several lakh names have been blocked" without providing the affected people any opportunity to show cause or verify their status.
“A game of destruction is being played in the name of SIR. Earlier, 5.4 million voters' names were removed by some BJP leader sitting inside the CEO's (chief electoral officer) office," she alleged.
Banerjee further alleged that the deletions selectively targeted women, suggesting that the BJP has “played games with the Election Commission (EC)" for its own political interests. She said even the electoral registration officers (ERO) were unaware of these massive changes, with their association reportedly stating that they had no information regarding the deletions.
“The BJP, for its own interests, has played games with the Election Commission. How were the names of 5.4 million voters removed? They are saying the EROs did it, but the EROs themselves are unaware. Their association has stated that they have no information about this. Those whose names have been removed have the right to fill up Form 6 and Form 7. However, no list of the deleted names has been provided," she said.
Highlighting widespread distress, she claimed that the stress of losing voting rights has led to 84 deaths. “Seventeen have suffered brain strokes or heart attacks," she said, adding that the BJP must take responsibility for these tragedies.
The chief minister particularly questioned the role of micro-observers, asking: “Why have micro-observers been appointed only in Bengal?"
She alleged that these officials, whom she described as either “traitors" or “servile," are marking legitimate residents as “not found" at the block level without asking for or inspecting any supporting documents. She drew parallels to previous instances in Maharashtra and Bihar, where similar discrepancies were allegedly only detected after final lists were published.
“We have information from every block that micro-observers are stationed there — some are traitors, some are servile — who are marking people as ‘not found', even though those who are turning up are not being asked for or shown any documents. The same thing happened in Maharashtra and Bihar, and no one could detect it. By the time it was discovered, the final list had already been published. Reports have already come in that several lakh names have been blocked," she added.
These allegations come days after the EC directed deployed micro-observers to carry out rigorous quality-control measures. On January 10, it instructed them to closely monitor field-level activities to flag any irregularities during the SIR.
It has maintained that micro-observers must function with “strict adherence to transparency, accuracy and neutrality" to ensure the production of error-free and inclusive electoral rolls. According to official sources, the SIR is a crucial framework intended to ensure that the instructions are followed “in letter and spirit without any external influence".
The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that election officials in Bengal were refusing to accept the form meant for objecting to entries on voters' list.
State president Samik Bhattacharya questioned why officials were not accepting Form 7.
“Why they are not taking Form 7? Why are they afraid? Chief minister can say whatever, she can take up the issue with the EC but our question is why can't our workers register Form 7," Bhattacharya asked during a press conference.
The BJP has accused officials in two districts of West Bengal of refusing to accept Form 7, which is meant for raising objections to entries on voters' list. It said EROs and AEROs in Malda and Hooghly districts are “blocking a lawful democratic process" by doing this. It added that the state administration is shielding illegal voters.
“Six residents of English Bazar (in Malda) approached the ERO (SDO) with 1,500 objections duly submitted on Form 7, strictly in accordance with Election Commission of India provisions. The ERO deflected responsibility, claiming he was not the competent authority and directing them to the AERO (BDO)," the BJP said in a post on X.
It alleged the AERO, in turn, refused to accept the forms citing a lack of “instructions" from the district election office, and sent the residents back. This, it said, exposed “deliberate evasion and coordinated obstruction", adding that “citizens following the law were pushed into a bureaucratic maze". It claimed a similar situation unfolded in the Chuchura assembly constituency in Hooghly district, where the ERO declined to accept Form 7 submissions made by a BJP delegation, again citing lack of instructions.
“The Election Commission of India's directions are clear and unambiguous. This deliberate stalling is aimed at blocking lawful objections," the BJP said.
Neither the district administrations nor the ruling Trinamool Congress responded to the allegations.
(With agency inputs)
Source: News18
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