PTI
Kolkata
As West Bengal gears up for the high-stakes assembly polls, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday sought to quell the row over contentious SIR, assuring that no eligible voter’s name would be removed from the electoral rolls, and vowed to conduct violence-free and fair elections in the state.
The assurance came amid an escalating confrontation between the Election Commission (EC) and the ruling TMC over allegations of large-scale voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which has triggered legal scrutiny, protests and sharp political reactions.
With polls for the 294-member West Bengal assembly expected to be declared within a week, Kumar, however, did not give a direct answer when asked whether the Commission would announce the poll schedule despite pending scrutiny of nearly 60 lakh voters under adjudication following the SIR exercise.
Addressing a press conference here after two days of meetings with political parties and senior state officials, Kumar also issued a strong warning against attempts to intimidate voters or election officials during the poll process, signalling the Commission’s concern over Bengal’s long history of poll-related violence. “Any attempt by political leaders to intimidate electors or election personnel will not be tolerated,” Kumar said.
Asserting that the poll panel’s foremost priority was ensuring every eligible citizen retains the right to vote, he said, “We aim to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls in Bengal. No eligible voter’s name will be removed.”
He said the sole purpose of the SIR was to ensure “pure electoral rolls,” which is bedrock of democracy. “This is to ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the voter list, but no ineligible person gets included.”
He stressed that all officials involved in election duties would function strictly under the Election Commission’s instructions and warned that any lapse in neutrality would invite disciplinary action.
“In the election process, no laxity will be tolerated. All agencies have been instructed to work with absolute impartiality,” he said. To enhance transparency, the Commission will ensure 100% webcasting of polling stations across the state, he added.
He also noted that “democracy runs very deep in West Bengal. Voting percentage in the state has remained very high. Electors and the public at large respect the Constitution and believe in peaceful and participatory elections”.
The Commission appeals to all voters of the state to ensure that polling takes place in a “violence-free and intimidation-free atmosphere,” he said.
He also rejected reports that “Logical Discrepancy” (LD) cases were introduced only in West Bengal, stating that such cases were flagged in all 12 states where the SIR exercise was held. He added that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) scanned the cases where voters remained unmapped with the 2002 rolls, whether deliberately or by mistake, using the documents provided.
