CEO assures transparency in SIR process, asks citizens to be calm

Amid the heated political debate over the state-wide Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, the state’s chief electoral officer (CEO), Manoj Kumar Agarwal, on Tuesday urged citizens not to panic.

Following an all-party meeting at his office, Mr Agarwal clarified that the process is routine and fully supervised by the Election Commission of India (ECI).“We are committed to creating a 100 per cent transparent voter list,” the CEO said, addressing reporters after the meeting with representatives of eight political parties. “People should not harbour any fear. This is not the first time such an exercise is being conducted. The ECI has undertaken similar projects in several other states, including Bihar, recently. There is no reason for anyone to be apprehensive,” he said. Mr Agarwal explained that the new enumeration forms will include a unique QR code for every voter, ensuring greater accuracy and traceability. Each voter will be required to sign the enumeration form, confirming the authenticity of their details. He assured that the booth-level officers (BLOs), conducting the survey will be local residents familiar with the area. “No one will go about it secretly. BLOs will visit houses after informing meetings with local residents and representatives. There is no need to worry about mistakes, if any errors are found, they can be corrected by the ARO, ERO, DEO or even at the CEO’s office,” he said.

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Reiterating that citizens should not fear submitting documents or providing information, Mr Agarwal said: “Our officers will be available to address every query. Multiple channels are in place to rectify mistakes or address concerns.” He also said that law and order is a state subject. “If there is any issue requiring intervention, the district or local authorities will take the necessary steps,” he added. The all-party meeting, however, turned contentious over issues related to Aadhaar cards and the enumeration form. While the CEO appealed for cooperation, several opposition parties expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission’s preparedness.

Trinamul Congress (TMC) leader and Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim launched a sharp attack, warning of massive protests if genuine voters’ names were deleted from the rolls. “If even a single real voter’s name is struck off, we will stage a larger movement. The election commission and BJP are working hand in hand. If there is any conspiracy, we will break it, come what may,” Hakim said. CPI-M leader Sujan Chakraborty also voiced serious concerns, questioning the Commission’s approach. “The CEO’s office seems unprepared for this massive exercise. It is the Commission’s responsibility to ensure an error-free voter list. If BLOs can be from outside a locality, why can’t BLA representatives be from outside too? Moreover, the Commission must clarify who authorised it to determine which eleven documents would be accepted as citizenship proof,” Chakraborty said.

On the other hand, BJP leader Sisir Bajoria took a dig at the ruling TMC, accusing it of fear mongering. “The TMC’s tone has changed completely. It was they who created the panic over NRC for political mileage. The recent suicide of a trader over NRC panic is the result of that fear campaign. The chief minister is responsible for spreading this fear,” Bajoria said. “Now they know they are losing ground and are seeing ghosts in the SIR exercise.”