The process of SIR is going on in Bengal. (file photo)
State Bureau, Kolkata. State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Aggarwal has been provided central security as the hearing process under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list begins in Bengal from Saturday. The Home Ministry has given him 'Y Plus' category security. Central force has also been deployed in front of the CEO office.
It is known that Trinamool Panthi booth level officers (BLOs) have been protesting in front of the CEO office for the last few days against the SIR. The hearing began at 11 am on Saturday under the supervision of about 4,500 micro observers at a total of 3,234 centers in the state. Apart from micro observers, only BLOs, Election Registration Officers and Assistant Election Registration Officers were allowed to enter the hearing centres.
58 lakh names removed from the list
First, those 32 lakh people are being called for hearing, whose names are not recorded in the voter list of 2002 and no link has been found for them. It may be noted that after the completion of the process of distribution and submission of counting forms, the draft voter list was released on December 16. Names of more than 58 lakh dead, transferred and fake voters were removed from the list.
Hearing notice to Trinamool MP's family
Four family members of Trinamool Congress MP from Barasat Kakuli Ghosh Dastidar have received notice of hearing related to SIR. Kakuli has accused the commission of harassing his family. Said- 'I am a four-time MP. Both my sons are government employees. His father, late Sudarshan Ghosh Dastidar, was a member of the state cabinet. Despite this, my family members have been called for hearing. This is just a process to harass people.
BLO ran away due to fear of creditors
A BLO named Amit Kumar Mandal in Katwa area of East Bardhaman district of Bengal has run away not because of the burden of SIR work but because of the fear of creditors. The local police has said this in its report submitted to the Election Commission.
Now CAA certificate will also be accepted
Just before the hearing on SIR related cases in Bengal started from Saturday, the Election Commission took a big decision. It has also been announced to accept certificates issued under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as required documents.
This step of the Commission will provide great relief especially to the people of the refugee Matua community. It may be noted that earlier CAA certificate was not included in the list of required documents sought by the Commission for SIR.
Also read: Six and a half crore voters will be removed from the voter list of 12 states including UP, Bengal; Now preparation for SIR in the entire country