West Bengal District Magistrates Request Extension for Electoral Roll Hearings
In a significant development concerning the electoral process in West Bengal, district magistrates from several districts, most notably Malda and South 24 Parganas, have formally requested an extension of the deadline for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearings. This appeal was made to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday, as confirmed by a senior EC official.
Unprecedented Request from District Officials
This marks the first instance where district magistrates, who also serve as District Election Officers (DEOs), have written to the Commission seeking to push the hearing deadline beyond February 7. The official stated, "Several DMs, including those from Malda and South 24 Parganas, have proposed an extension of the hearing deadline to us." The request stems from the districts facing the highest number of logical discrepancy notices, which require thorough verification and hearings.
Challenges in Meeting the Current Schedule
According to the EC's established schedule, the hearing and verification phase is set to conclude on February 7, with the final electoral rolls scheduled for publication on February 14. However, an EC official recently highlighted that in districts such as Malda, Murshidabad, North 24 Parganas, and South 24 Parganas, completing all hearings by the deadline may not be feasible. The number of individuals summoned for hearings in these four districts is substantially higher compared to other regions, creating a logistical bottleneck.
Proactive Measures and Recent Inspections
In response to complaints and detected discrepancies in document uploads, deputy election commissioner Sanjay Kumar conducted visits last week to these four districts, along with Nadia. To accelerate the hearing process, the EC has sanctioned a total of 50 Additional Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) specifically for the Metiabruz and Kurseong Assembly constituencies. This move aims to streamline operations and address the backlog efficiently.
Impact on Voter Rolls and Non-Appearance Issues
The urgency of these hearings is underscored by the rejection of 50,000 electors' cases in the logical discrepancies category, primarily due to non-appearance at hearings. An EC official explained, "The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) rejected these cases as the individuals did not attend the hearings. Their names can only be deleted from the final rolls after the hearings are conducted." Out of over 31 lakh unmapped cases, approximately 10–15% did not appear for hearings, further complicating the revision process.
This situation highlights the critical need for extended deadlines to ensure accurate and inclusive electoral rolls, safeguarding the democratic process in West Bengal.
