In a significant escalation of its political confrontation with the Trinamool Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party has approached the Election Commission with serious concerns about the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls currently underway in West Bengal.
BJP Delegation Presents Demands
A BJP delegation led by the party's state president Samik Bhattacharya met with Election Commission officials on Wednesday, presenting a detailed list of demands regarding the ongoing voter list verification process. The delegation specifically raised alarms about what they described as systematic issues compromising the integrity of West Bengal's electoral rolls.
The meeting occurred just two days before the poll body's scheduled discussion with the ruling Trinamool Congress, which has been vocally opposing the Special Intensive Revision process. This timing underscores the intensifying political battle between the two parties over electoral transparency.
Illegal Infiltration Concerns
The BJP delegation highlighted what they termed as a longstanding problem in Bengal - illegal infiltration from Bangladesh. According to the party's submission, these individuals have allegedly obtained fraudulent documents through local networks and managed to get their names included in voter lists.
"The issue of illegal infiltration must be addressed systematically," the BJP told the Election Commission. The party demanded "clear messaging regarding exfiltration or detention for individuals who are not Indian citizens." They emphasized that strengthened enforcement would help reduce fraudulent applications and ensure infiltrators do not remain on electoral rolls.
Multiple Electoral Roll Irregularities
Beyond the infiltration concerns, the BJP pointed to several other issues affecting the voter lists. The party claimed that names of numerous deceased individuals continue to appear on electoral rolls, creating potential for misuse during elections.
The BJP also challenged opposition parties' claims that workload-related stress was causing problems among Booth Level Officers. Instead, the party alleged that political coercion by the state's governing establishment was preventing BLOs from deleting names of ineligible voters, which they identified as the primary problem.
The party's comprehensive presentation to the Election Commission signals a determined effort to ensure what they describe as a cleaner electoral process in West Bengal, setting the stage for further political confrontations as the revision process continues.
