EC Sets February 28 Deadline for Final West Bengal Electoral Roll, Excluding Disputed Cases
A senior Election Commission official announced on Friday that the final electoral list for West Bengal will be published on February 28. This publication will notably exclude controversial cases where differences of opinion emerged between Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and micro observers during the scrutiny process.
Supreme Court Directs Judicial Intervention for Disputed Voter Entries
In a significant development, the Supreme Court has directed the appointment of judicial officers to adjudicate claims and objections in the Summary Revision (SIR) exercise in Bengal. The apex court ordered a meeting to be held on Saturday, leaving the mechanism to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court. As per the official, "The Supreme Court passed an order by using its constitutional power. The entire matter is now being left to the court." The EC plans to request a judicial officer at every polling booth to expedite the process during this meeting.
Over 30 Lakh Cases Under Scrutiny for Logical Discrepancies
Sources reveal that the number of controversial cases may exceed 30 lakh. During the checking exercise, micro observers identified anomalies in approximately 30 lakh cases categorized under logical discrepancies. These include instances where proper documents were not uploaded or proof of linkage was absent. Even cases initially marked as 'OK' by EROs or Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) were sent back for review and final disposal. A source explained, "Differences of opinion emerged in about 30 lakh out of 1.2 crore cases under the logical discrepancy category." In contrast, unmapped cases, numbering around 32 lakh, are reported to have no issues.
Process and Timeline for Electoral Roll Finalization
The official stated, "The final electoral roll will be published on Feb 28. During the preparation of the final roll, controversial cases will not be considered. The judicial officers will decide on those cases, and a supplementary list will be published after their disposal." A clearer operational picture is expected once the EC receives a copy of the Supreme Court order. Meanwhile, West Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal chaired a virtual meeting with all District Election Officers (DEOs) on Friday to review progress. DEOs indicated that the scrutiny process would conclude by Saturday, requiring an additional 4-5 days for thorough examination. Following this, the CEO will assess the roll's health before submission to the EC for final publication.
Coordination Between EC and Judicial Authorities
After the Supreme Court order, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar contacted Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal on Friday evening. Agarwal confirmed the February 28 publication date for the final list. The EC official emphasized that the exact number of disputed cases remains undisclosed, but the scale is substantial. The focus now shifts to the judicial officers' role in resolving these discrepancies to ensure electoral integrity.
