'Why No Proposal For New Booths In High-Rises?' Poll Body Asks Bengal Unit

The Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal is under fire after failure to submit a proposal for new polling booths in high-rise buildings ahead of the Assembly elections in the state scheduled for next year. The Election Commission of India has questioned the West Bengal poll officer about the delay in identifying high-rise towers suitable for setting up polling booths and submitting applications despite asking for it twice. The matter is being viewed very "seriously" by the poll body.

In its letter to the CEO, the poll body stated: "No proposal of polling stations has been received in the Commission from your office so far. The Commission has taken a very serious view of the failure on the part of District Electoral Officers (DEOs) in performance of their statutory duty as given under Section 25 of the Representation of People's Act, 1951 read with Section 160 of the said Act. The DEOs are also liable under the said provisions for any lack of sufficiency of polling stations for electors in the above specified residential colonies."

Under the Representation of the People Act, the responsibilities and duties of District Magistrates are clearly stated. Therefore, if booths are not set up where necessary, the responsibility will lie with the District Election Officers (DEOs).

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll is ongoing in West Bengal. The draft voter list is scheduled to be released on December 9, published on December 16, and the final list will be published on February 14. The draft list will be based on the state's Assembly constituencies.

After that list is published, a new survey must be conducted regarding booths in multi-storey buildings, group housing societies, Resident Welfare Association (RWA) colonies, slums, and gated communities.

According to the poll body, if there are 250 houses or 500 voters, a survey must be conducted and proposals for setting up polling stations must be submitted by December 31.

"All DEOs must strictly follow this directive," the letter from the Election Commission read.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has opposed the idea of setting up polling booths within private housing complexes, claiming such locations compromise fairness, violate established norms and create discriminatory distinctions between residents and the general public.

Banerjee claimed that polling stations have always been located in government or semi-government institutions to ensure accessibility and neutrality.

"Why is such a move being contemplated at all? Again, is this being done under pressure from a political party to advance their partisan interests?" she asked.

The implications of such a decision would have a severe impact on the fairness of the electoral process, she claimed.