Bengal BJP Levels Serious Allegations Against Booth Officers Over SIR Process
The Bharatiya Janata Party in West Bengal has launched a scathing attack on what it terms "errant booth level officers" for allegedly compromising the Summary Revision of electoral rolls process deliberately. This comes a day after party leaders criticized the Election Commission for being perceived as "soft" in handling the situation within the state.
Allegations of a Deliberate Plot to Defame SIR
West Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya minced no words, stating, "People are being harassed due to Trinamool and its netas." He pointed directly at what he described as a "deliberate plot" aimed at defaming the SIR process. "BLOs are uploading errors intentionally, which is leading to more hearings. This is a well thought-out script that Trinamool wanted to play out," Bhattacharya asserted, suggesting a calculated political maneuver.
Union Minister Echoes Concerns Over Intentional Errors
Earlier in the day, junior Union minister Sukanta Majumdar reinforced these allegations. He claimed that "intentional clerical errors" by Booth Level Officers were directly responsible for an increase in hearings. "Whether it is an error in the spelling of names or other errors, much of this is being done by BLOs intentionally. It is to defame SIR process and project it as something harassing," Majumdar explained.
He further clarified the administrative chain, noting, "BLOs, AEROs and EROs are responsible for including names in the voters' list. All of them are employees of state government. None of them are controlled by the Centre. They follow orders from the Chief Minister." This statement implicitly places responsibility on the state's ruling party.
BJP's Stance on a Prolonged and Clean Electoral Process
Asserting the party's readiness, Majumdar added, "We have said this before... SIR can be prolonged if necessary. The final voter list should be absolutely error-free and agreed to by all." This indicates the BJP's commitment to a thorough and uncontested electoral roll, even if it means extending the revision timeline.
Contrasting View from Former State BJP Chief
In a somewhat contrasting tone, former state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh offered a different perspective on the Election Commission's role. He stated that the EC was trying its best to produce an error-free voters' list. "It has to ensure fake, dead and duplicate voters are deleted from the list. The process should continue till the entire electoral roll is cleansed," Ghosh emphasized, highlighting the broader objective of electoral integrity beyond the immediate allegations.
The accusations have intensified the political discourse in West Bengal, with the BJP positioning itself as a vigilant force against perceived electoral malpractices, while the implications for the upcoming electoral processes remain under close scrutiny.
