Electoral Roll Hearings Near Completion in Key West Bengal Constituencies
A senior Election Commission official confirmed on Saturday that the crucial hearing exercises for electoral roll revisions are approaching completion in several significant assembly constituencies across West Bengal. This development marks substantial progress in the commission's preparation for upcoming electoral processes in the state.
Kolkata South Constituencies Show Significant Progress
In the politically significant Kolkata South Lok Sabha constituency, hearing exercises are nearly complete in three key assembly segments. Bhowanipore, Rashbehari, and Ballygunge assembly constituencies have all reached advanced stages in their hearing processes according to official reports. The roll observer responsible for Kolkata South personally informed senior officials about this substantial progress in these urban constituencies.
North Bengal Constituencies Complete Hearings
Meanwhile, in North Bengal, the Election Commission has achieved full completion of hearing exercises in three assembly constituencies. Alipurduar, Falakata, and Madarihat have all finished their hearing processes according to official confirmation. The District Magistrate of Alipurduar reported that in these three completed constituencies, officials are now actively engaged in uploading documents and disposing of related cases.
Extended Document Submission Deadline
In a significant development, the Election Commission official clarified that document submission from electors will continue to be accepted even after February 4th. This extension comes in direct compliance with a recent Supreme Court order that mandates an additional ten-day period from the date of displaying logical discrepancies lists. This decision provides voters with extended opportunities to submit necessary documentation for electoral roll inclusion.
Rapid Document Verification Underway
When questioned about the progress of document verification submitted during hearings, the official responded optimistically. "Verification is progressing fast," he stated confidently. The Ministry of External Affairs has committed to verifying all submitted passports by Monday, while the ICSE board confirmed that all certificates issued by them are securely maintained in DigiLocker systems. Regarding SC/ST certificates, District Magistrates possess the authority to conduct verification independently.
Notice Delivery Deadline Approaching
The Election Commission has issued strict instructions to officials regarding hearing notice delivery. All remaining hearing notices must be delivered by Sunday at 5 PM according to the latest directive. As of Friday, approximately 12-15 lakh notices remained undelivered, but officials reported that a majority were successfully delivered on Saturday. The commission expects complete delivery compliance by the Sunday deadline.
Micro-Observer Role Expansion
In an important procedural shift, micro-observers will now play expanded roles in the electoral process. Previously limited to verification duties at hearing centers, these officials will now participate in scrutiny work under the supervision of roll observers. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal has directed District Election Officers to reassign micro-observers to Electoral Registration Officers and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers for enhanced scrutiny capabilities.
From Monday forward, these micro-observers will actively examine voter-provided data for any suspicious information. When potential discrepancies are identified, they will immediately inform EROs and AEROs under roll observer guidance. This enhanced scrutiny process represents a significant strengthening of electoral integrity measures in West Bengal.
