The office of West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has stepped forward to clear the air regarding a recent controversy. It stated that the Election Commission hearing summons issued to eminent personalities, including Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, cricketer Mohammed Shami, and actor-turned-Trinamool Congress MP Dev, were standard procedural steps and not a targeted move.
Clarification on the Controversial Notices
The issuance of these notices had created a significant stir in the poll-bound state, leading to speculation about their intent. However, in a detailed clarification released on Wednesday, the state CEO's office explained the rationale behind the action. The scrutiny of voter enumeration forms revealed that the concerned electors had left the mandatory linkage columns blank in their forms.
Such omissions automatically trigger a hearing process as per the Election Commission's standard operating procedures. The individuals were summoned alongside numerous other electors found in a similar situation, dispelling notions of any selective targeting.
The Specific Case of Amartya Sen
Addressing the high-profile case of economist Amartya Sen specifically, the CEO's office provided further context. Dr. Sen, registered as an overseas elector, had his form submitted by a family member, Shantabhanu Sen, who linked him to his mother, Amita Sen.
The office noted, "Since the age difference between the elector and his mother was less than 15 years, a logical discrepancy was flagged by the ERO Net Portal." This automated flagging led to the generation of a notice for Dr. Sen, consistent with how all other discrepancy cases are handled.
Taking into account his advanced age, the officials adopted a facilitative approach. "Since the elector is aged 85 years plus, ERO/AERO along with BLO have visited his residence and completed the formalities," the statement added.
A Uniform Process for All
The CEO's office strongly emphasized that the procedure followed was uniform across the board and strictly adhered to the Election Commission's guidelines. The entire episode was a routine part of the electoral roll verification drive aimed at ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the voter list. The clarification aimed to put to rest any allegations of special treatment or politically motivated actions against the noted individuals.
The office reiterated that the issuance of the notices was an automated administrative response to incomplete data fields and was in no way indicative of any scrutiny or action against the individuals themselves. The process is designed to clean the electoral rolls and rectify anomalies, a standard practice before elections.
