In Kolkata, a significant number of electors who attended hearings on Saturday found themselves in a frustrating situation when they demanded receipts after submitting necessary documents. The Election Commission officials, however, turned down these requests, citing a lack of instructions from electoral registration officers. This refusal occurred despite a clear directive from the Supreme Court issued on January 19, which mandated the issuance of receipts to voters for documents submitted during such hearings.
Voters Express Anxiety and Confront Officials
Septuagenarian Tushar Kanti Dey, who appeared at the Bhowanipore Mitra Institution, shared his distressing experience. Suffering from fever, he attended the hearing to address a discrepancy in the spelling of his name. After producing all required documents, he asked for a receipt, only to be told that officials were not instructed to issue one. Aware of the Supreme Court order, Dey confronted the officials, and eventually, the Booth Level Officer signed his hearing notice as a compromise.
Senior Citizens Raise Concerns Over Proof of Attendance
Another senior citizen, Gita Sengupta, who was at the same venue, questioned the officials' non-compliance. She emphasized the importance of having proof of attendance and document submission, especially given the Supreme Court's direction. At Hare School, Booth Level Officers acknowledged hearing notices with signatures and stamps but refrained from issuing formal receipts for the collected documents. One BLO explained that they were acting without fresh instructions from their seniors, leading to this inconsistency.
Non-Compliance Sparks Voter Apprehensions
The failure to issue receipts has raised serious concerns among voters, many of whom now fear they lack evidence of their document submissions. Neeraj Goenka, a resident of Ward 44 in central Kolkata, labeled this as a gross violation of the court's order, highlighting the harassment faced by voters. He pointed out that without receipts, people have no tangible proof of the documents they submitted during the hearings.
Officials Plead Helplessness Amid Confusion
Shabnam Ahmed, a resident of Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, reported that even officials at the centers seemed clueless about the procedure. When pressed for receipts, they pleaded helplessness, indicating a broader issue of unclear guidelines. Hearings at multiple centers are scheduled to resume from January 27, adding urgency to resolving this matter.
Future Implementation Uncertain
On Saturday, Booth Level Officers distributed hearing notices to voters across various centers. Officials suggested that the new procedure for issuing receipts might be implemented during the next round of hearings, but only after receiving a go-ahead from higher authorities. A BLO at the Industrial Training Institute on SN Banerjee Road mentioned that while the next hearings start from January 27, there are no fresh instructions yet, leaving the timeline for compliance uncertain.
This situation underscores a critical gap in the electoral process, where voter rights are compromised due to administrative delays. As Kolkata prepares for upcoming hearings, the need for clear directives and adherence to Supreme Court orders becomes increasingly paramount to ensure transparency and trust in the electoral system.
