Amidst ongoing parliamentary uproar, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from West Bengal has formally sought a discussion in the Rajya Sabha over alleged severe irregularities in the state's ongoing voter list revision exercise.
Motion Filed Amidst Parliamentary Chaos
On Monday, as Parliament witnessed continued disruptions with the treasury and opposition benches clashing over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, BJP's Rajya Sabha member and state unit president Samik Bhattacharya took official action. He submitted a notice to the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General, moving a motion for a discussion on what he termed a "compromised SIR" process in West Bengal.
Bhattacharya, who has been vocally critical of the Election Commission of India's (EC) role in recent days, explicitly called for the intervention of the central government. His objective is to protect the SIR process from what he describes as widespread "manipulation and intimidation" within the state.
Allegations of Threats and Coercion
In his detailed notice, the BJP MP leveled serious accusations regarding the working environment for Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who are responsible for the ground-level verification. He asserted that BLOs are facing direct "threats, intimidation and obstruction" from certain quarters.
He further claimed that these officials are being deliberately prevented from conducting essential field verifications. More alarmingly, Bhattacharya alleged that BLOs are being "coerced to overlook illegal or fictitious entries" in the voter lists. He argued that this systematic interference is severely damaging the integrity of the entire electoral process and will inevitably raise major questions about the credibility of the revised voter list.
"I urge the Union govt and the EC to take immediate cognizance of these complaints, ensure protection of BLOs, and coordinate with concerned agencies to safeguard the SIR process from manipulation and intimidation," the notice stated.
Sharp Political Rhetoric Escalates
Later, addressing the media, Bhattacharya amplified his allegations with sharp political barbs. While stating that the BJP believes in the right to protest, he connected the ongoing opposition protests in Parliament to the situation in Bengal. He referenced a related petition currently being heard in the Supreme Court.
Taking aim at the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), he employed harsh metaphors, stating, "Trinamool is not mere thief... they are dacoits! You will find ghosts walking out of graves and casting votes in Bengal."
He also criticized the Congress and the Left parties for their coordination with the TMC both inside Parliament and during a dharna in Bengal. Bhattacharya interpreted this alliance as proof that these parties are "working hand in glove with the party in office in Bengal."
This development follows a similar demand by the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who has already called for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the SIR process. The revision exercise, conducted between November 26 and 28, has reportedly seen the recording of approximately 1.25 crore (12.5 million) names, making the allegations of manipulation a high-stakes issue for all parties involved.
