The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal is set to get delayed after the Supreme Court Monday issued certain directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure the scrutiny of voters flagged for “logical discrepancies” is carried out transparently and without inconveniencing the public.
The deadlines for West Bengal SIR hearings and final electoral roll publication are February 7 and 14, respectively.
A senior ECI official said, “After the Supreme Court directions, it is almost impossible to complete all hearings within the stipulated time and make a flawless final electoral roll.”
However, sources linked to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal have indicated that the ECI has not specified how long the hearing process will take or when the final voter list will be published.
So far, the West Bengal CEO’s office has not issued final guidelines for voters who have received hearing notices. This is pending the issuance of clear guidelines from the ECI. According to sources within the CEO’s office, once the new guidelines are published, those who are unwilling or unable to attend the hearing will be given another opportunity to participate.
The court noted that around 1.25 crores of notices have been sent to various persons, citing discrepancies such as mismatches in parents’ names, a low age gap with parents, the number of children cited as more than six, among others.
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The court clarified that individuals who have received notices from the ECI may submit their documents or objections through authorised agents, such as booth-level agents (BLAs). These agents must be appointed via a letter that includes a signature or thumbprint.
Taking into consideration the concerns expressed by the petitioners that persons will have to travel hundreds of kilometres to respond to the notices, the court directed that the office for submitting documents/ objections should be set up within the panchayat bhavan/ block offices. If the documents are found to be unsatisfactory, the election officers should give the persons an opportunity of a hearing, which can be attended by the authorised agent.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
