The Election Commission of India has launched a probe into alarming allegations from West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, where living individuals have reportedly been marked as deceased in official voter records. The electoral body acted on Friday, directing the district magistrate to submit a detailed report on the matter.
District Magistrate Asked for Detailed Report
In a significant move, the EC formally sought a clarification and factual report from the top administrative officer of South 24 Parganas. The directive comes amid growing concerns over the integrity of the Summary Revision of the electoral roll, a massive nationwide exercise. An official familiar with the development stated that while the commission was examining between 10 to 15 similar cases across the state of West Bengal, the concentration of complaints in this single district was unexpectedly high.
Genuine Error or Deliberate Act?
The Commission acknowledged the sheer scale of the Special Summary Revision (SRR) work, which involves enumerating millions of voters. "For a work of this magnitude, there can be genuine errors," an official admitted, referring to the SIR enumeration process. However, the EC drew a clear line between unintentional mistakes and deliberate manipulation. The official added a stern warning: "But if it is found these were done deliberately, the booth-level officer (BLO) would be made accountable and will face action." This statement underscores a zero-tolerance policy towards any intentional tampering with the democratic foundation—the electoral roll.
Accountability Rests with Booth-Level Officers
The investigation puts the spotlight squarely on the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who are the grassroots officials responsible for the accuracy of voter lists in their assigned areas. The EC's stance indicates that the final accountability for the fidelity of the list lies with these officers. Any proven instance of deliberate falsification—such as wrongly declaring a living voter dead—could lead to strict disciplinary proceedings against the concerned BLO. This process is critical as it can prevent legitimate voters from exercising their franchise, a serious infringement of electoral rights.
The Election Commission's proactive step in South 24 Parganas highlights its ongoing vigilance regarding electoral purity. As the district administration compiles its report, the findings will determine whether these instances are unfortunate clerical errors in a gigantic administrative task or point to a more sinister pattern of voter list manipulation that requires stringent corrective measures.
