Telangana Police Team Studies West Bengal's Electoral Roll Revision Process
A delegation of Telangana police officers has been deployed to West Bengal to conduct an in-depth study of the state's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The objective is to identify potential trouble spots and operational challenges before Telangana launches phase III of its own electoral roll revision exercise later this year.
Advance Deployment and Previous Experience
The officers arrived in Kolkata on Saturday, immediately following the conclusion of hearings on objections to the draft voter list. This visit follows a similar advance deployment in September, when Telangana personnel observed security arrangements for football legend Lionel Messi's trip to Kolkata. The insights gained from that exercise proved valuable, as Hyderabad police successfully managed crowds during Messi's appearance in the city later the same day.
Field Visits and Community Interactions
As part of the current study, the Telangana team has visited several localities in Kolkata and engaged in direct interactions with residents from diverse communities. While many members of the majority community expressed support for the door-to-door verification drive, some minority residents voiced concerns that the process could be misused to delete genuine voters from the electoral rolls.
Tracking Key Incidents and Challenges
The police are closely monitoring at least three types of incidents that have occurred during West Bengal's SIR:
- Attacks on Booth Level Officers (BLOs)
- Destruction of Form-7 objection slips
- Protests following reported suicides of overworked field staff
In multiple areas including Asansol, Murshidabad, and Nadia, BLOs were allegedly assaulted after requesting documents from households flagged for verification.
Operational Similarities Despite Demographic Differences
A senior Telangana intelligence officer noted that while West Bengal's demographic profile differs significantly from Telangana's, the operational challenges could be remarkably similar. These include:
- Excessive workload on BLOs
- Potential politicization of voter deletions
- Risk of misinformation spreading during the exercise
Investigating Field Officer Suicides
The Telangana team is also engaging with BLOs and local police to understand the circumstances surrounding the alleged suicides of two field officers. "Two BLOs involved in the SIR allegedly died by suicide in Bengal, and they left suicide notes allegedly stating workload as the reason," explained a police official. "There were protests after the suicides, and there were also attacks on BLOs who had to make multiple visits to voters' houses."
The official emphasized that while the demographics in Bengal and Telangana are different, understanding these challenges will help in better handling the situation when Telangana proceeds with SIR phase III. The comprehensive study aims to develop strategies to prevent similar incidents and ensure a smoother electoral roll revision process in Telangana.
