KOLKATA: Tensions between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Election Commission persist over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The state government appointed 8,505 Group-B officers for the SIR process, but as of Thursday morning, the EC has not received detailed background information on these officials from the authorities.
Sources close to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in West Bengal revealed that the Commission had sought comprehensive details on all 8,505 officers due to suspicions about their Group-B status. With just two days left until the hearings on claims and objections to the draft voter list conclude on February 14, the involvement of these officers in the process appears highly unlikely.
“The sessions for hearing claims and objections end in two days,” the sources noted. “Some might participate in document verification and disposal from February 14 to 21, but that hinges on how clearly the state government verifies their identities.”
Further intelligence suggests anomalies in the list, including upper division clerks and even typists listed as Group-B officers. One retired state employee was also reportedly included. The EC has demanded background checks from the state government and relevant departments for these questionable entries.
The final voter list is slated for release on February 28. The very next day, the full Election Commission bench will arrive in Kolkata for a two-day review of post-SIR conditions. This visit could precede the announcement of assembly election dates in the state, heightening the stakes in this administrative standoff.