The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday issued a sharp rebuttal to the Trinamool Congress (TMC)'s accusation that the poll body chief has "blood on his hands" over the deaths of 40 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal.
The poll body called the charges "baseless, unfounded and politically motivated".
Official EC sources issued the response hours after a two-hour meeting with a 10-member TMC delegation led by Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien. The EC also directed the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) and the Kolkata Police Commissioner to immediately provide security to all field-level electoral staff and ensure that no political worker threatens or coerces them.
The Commission defended the SIR as a routine, constitutionally-mandated exercise aimed solely at ensuring a clean, updated and accurate voter list. It clarified that no final deletions have been made and none will occur until the draft roll is published on December 9, after which all objections raised by any party, including the TMC, will be duly examined.
During the meeting at Nirvachan Sadan, TMC leaders accused the poll body chief Gyanesh Kumar of bearing responsibility for the deaths of 40 BLOs due to "inhuman deadlines and extreme pressure". They alleged that the entire revision was a BJP-orchestrated conspiracy to delete Bengali and minority voters from the rolls. The delegation also complained that Kumar refused to answer their five specific questions.
Sources in the poll body, however, said Kumar and the two Election Commissioners heard the delegation patiently and said in clear terms that the preparation of electoral rolls and elections in India are held as per the Constitution and electoral laws and that TMC should abide by it.
The EC reminded the delegation that only Indian citizens can be enrolled as voters under Article 326 of the Constitution, and the current verification drive is meant precisely to remove bogus or ineligible entries, including those of foreign nationals.
Moreover, the EC has issued a series of key directives and clarifications to ensure free, fair, and fearless conduct of elections. Immediate police protection has been ordered for all Booth Level Officers (BLOs), Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), and District Election Officers (DEOs) - all state government employees on deputation - so they can carry out their duties without fear, coercion, or intimidation from any political party.
District Election Officers have been instructed to establish additional polling stations in slum areas, high-rise buildings, and gated communities to enhance voter convenience and accessibility.
In response to credible intelligence about a potential security breach, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, is being relocated immediately to a more secure premise with comprehensive police protection.
Besides, the EC has issued a stern warning to all political parties against pressurising or threatening BLOs who are conducting door-to-door verification of voters.
With the draft electoral roll scheduled for release in less than two weeks, and the final list to be released on February 7 next year, the Election Commission made it clear that the revision process will continue strictly as per law, free from political pressure or intimidation.
