E-Paper
Bihar-like voter revision in Bengal too? State poll chief says EC can decide, ‘training on, if SIR held…’
Special Intensive Revision currently in Bihar, which has elections in Oct-Nov, has led to a major political controversy; Bengal polls are due early next year
To the question whether or not a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls will take place in West Bengal, the state's chief electoral officer, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, has said such a decision can be taken only by the apex poll panel, the Election Commission of India.
Training of booth-level officers (BLOs) and supervisors will ensure preparedness if the process is initiated, he added, sharing details of training sessions. "If SIR takes place, the training will equip BLOs to carry out their responsibilities effectively. However, the decision rests entirely with the ECI," Agarwal further said.
The SIR currently being held in Bihar — which has elections in October-November — has led to a major political controversy.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has said she won't allow such an exercise in her state, which is due for polls early next year.
Opposition parties, including Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, accuse the BJP-led central government of using the EC to manipulate the voter lists. The issue is currently also in the Supreme Court.
BJP leaders in Bengal have spoken of how a similar revision will be held in West Bengal, which has elections next year.
Also read | SIR needed in Bengal too, says state BJP chief, ‘else it’ll become West Bangladesh’
"The EC has decided to train the officers. Earlier, there was no such training. The poll panel has an institute, IIIDEM, where people have been trained to make them understand the work, their statutory functions," Agarwal said, as per a PTI report.
The IIIDEM stands for India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, established in 2011.
BLO and other officials' training was held in Malda on July 24, and in Purba Bardhaman on July 25. A session was scheduled for Kolkata on July 26, followed by Midnapore and Jalpaiguri on subsequent days.
