In her new letter, Banerjee referred to her earlier communications and reiterated that the exercise has caused “immense inconvenience and pain to the people”, resulting in “as many as 140 deaths” in the course of the process. She alleged that the SIR was imposed in “blatant violation” of applicable law and regulations, with “complete disregard for human rights and basic humanitarian considerations.”
“I am once again compelled to write to you regarding the methodology and approach, apart from the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and the rules made thereunder, being followed in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in West Bengal,” the Trinamool Congress chief said.
Banerjee pointed out that for the first time in Indian election history, the Election Commission of India has deployed around 8,100 micro-observers in West Bengal during the SIR process. She alleged that these micro-observers are being deployed unilaterally, without adequate training or proven expertise, for what she described as a specialized, sensitive and quasi-judicial exercise.
She further said that the role, functions and authority of micro-observers during election reviews are not defined or authorized under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, or any other statutory instrument regulating electoral rolls.
“Notably, the EC has not undertaken such deployment of micro-observers for decision-making through the ERONET portal in any other state or Union Territory where SIR processes are currently underway, making this measure selectively applicable to West Bengal,” Banerjee said.
The Chief Minister also marked the appointment of four IAS officers from Tripura cadre as observers, besides five observers from the Center and 12 from West Bengal. Citing reports, she alleged that some observers are operating from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, and have taken control of the EC portal.
Banerjee said she plans to visit Delhi next week to personally meet the Chief Election Commissioner and highlight the alleged anomalies, discrepancies and sufferings of people during the exercise.
She has written to the CEC twice before, on January 3 and 10. In her January 3 letter, she urged the Commission to immediately halt the SIR process, warning that this could lead to “mass disenfranchisement” and cause “irreparable damage” to India’s democratic foundations. She also expressed “serious concerns” over alleged irregularities, procedural violations and administrative errors, calling the exercise “unplanned, ill-prepared and ad hoc”.
In her January 10 communication, Banerjee alleged that the SIR had turned into an exercise to exclude voters instead of correcting the data and accused the Election Commission of political bias and high-handedness.
“The hearing process has become largely mechanical, driven purely by technical data and completely devoid of the application of mind, sensitivity and human touch,” she said in the three-page letter, adding that the aim of the exercise “seemed neither correction nor inclusion, but solely removal and exclusion.”
– Ends
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