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The West Bengal government has conveyed its readiness to provide officers from the state administration and its institutions to support the SIR campaign. The development is significant, especially after the Election Commission, during a February 4 hearing in the Supreme Court, stated that the state had deployed only 80 Grade-2 officers, such as Sub-Divisional Magistrates, to oversee the process.
Supreme Court
New Delhi: Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, the state government has informed the Election Commission that it is fully prepared to deploy 8,505 Group-B officers for the exercise.
According to sources, the West Bengal government has conveyed its readiness to provide officers from the state administration and its institutions to support the SIR campaign. The development is significant, especially after the Election Commission, during a February 4 hearing in the Supreme Court, stated that the state had deployed only 80 Grade-2 officers, such as Sub-Divisional Magistrates, to oversee the process.
Supreme Court to Hear SIR Petitions on Monday
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N.V. Anjaria is scheduled to hear multiple petitions related to the SIR on Monday. One of the petitions has been filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is reportedly expected to appear before the apex court again.
The state government has clarified that it is willing and capable of providing a substantial number of qualified officers for the revision process. Earlier, the Election Commission’s counsel had informed the court that the state relied largely on lower-level staff, including Anganwadi workers, for conducting the SIR.
‘Bengal Is Being Targeted,’ Says CM Mamata Banerjee
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly refuted the Election Commission’s allegations, asserting that the state government complied with all requests made by the poll body. She approached the Supreme Court seeking intervention in the SIR process, stating that it was essential to protect democracy and alleging that West Bengal and its residents were being unfairly targeted.
Apex Court Emphasises Protection of Genuine Voters
Taking cognisance of the Chief Minister’s petition, the Supreme Court underscored that the names of genuine voters must not be removed from the electoral rolls. The court has directed the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal to file their responses by February 9.
The bench also advised the Election Commission to exercise sensitivity while issuing notices to booth-level officers and electoral registration officers for minor errors, such as spelling discrepancies in names, to prevent unnecessary hardship to the public.
