West Bengal's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has hit a significant roadblock, with election officials identifying a staggering number of forms that cannot be processed. The Election Commission has revealed that approximately 14 lakh SIR enumeration forms have been deemed 'uncollectable' across the state.
Rising Numbers of Unprocessed Forms
According to an official statement, the number of uncollectable forms has seen a sharp increase in a short period. The figure stood at 13.92 lakh as of Tuesday noon, a significant jump from the 10.33 lakh recorded just the previous evening on Monday. Officials anticipate this number will continue to grow as more data comes in from various districts.
The primary reasons cited for these uncollectable forms include voters being absent from their registered addresses, duplicate entries, deceased individuals still on the rolls, and people who have permanently relocated. This massive data cleanup operation is part of the SIR process aimed at creating more accurate electoral rolls.
Massive Workforce Deployed for Revision
The Election Commission has deployed an extensive network of officials to conduct this massive exercise. Over 80,600 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are leading the ground operations, supported by approximately 8,000 supervisors, 3,000 Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, and 294 Electoral Registration Officers.
These BLOs have been actively involved in distributing forms and collecting necessary information from households. However, the sheer scale of the operation and various operational challenges have made the process increasingly difficult to implement smoothly.
Chief Minister's Strong Opposition
In a dramatic development, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sent a strongly worded three-page letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Thursday, demanding an immediate stop to the ongoing revision process. She described the exercise as "chaotic, coercive and dangerous" and expressed her deep concerns about its implementation.
Banerjee stated that the situation has reached a "deeply alarming stage" and accused the Election Commission of imposing the SIR without adequate preparation or clear communication. She highlighted several structural problems, including major gaps in training, confusion over mandatory documents, and the practical difficulty of BLOs meeting voters during working hours.
The Chief Minister painted a concerning picture of the ground reality, noting that Booth Level Officers are being stretched "far beyond human limits." She explained that many BLOs, who are primarily teachers and frontline workers, are struggling to balance their principal duties with the additional responsibility of conducting door-to-door surveys and handling complex e-submissions.
Technical challenges have further complicated the process, with most BLOs facing difficulties due to lack of proper training, frequent server failures, and repeated data mismatches when trying to submit information online.
Banerjee urgently requested the Election Commission to intervene decisively, halt the ongoing process, stop what she called "coercive" measures, ensure proper training and support for officials, and thoroughly reassess the current methodology and timelines.
She issued a stern warning, stating that "if this path is not corrected without delay, the consequences for the system, the officials and the citizens will be irreversible." The Chief Minister emphasized that the current situation requires immediate "responsibility, humanity and decisive corrective action" from the election authorities.
