BJP demands audit of 1.25 crore entries in West Bengal SIR enumeration

Alleging irregularities during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal, the BJP on Monday demanded an audit of all 1.25 crore entries made between November 26 and 28 in the enumeration process.

Addressing a press conference, a visibly angry Samik Bhattacharya, the West Benal BJP chief, alleged that "the ruling Trinamool Congress has captured the SIR process via control of BLOs."

Launching a sharp attack on Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar for his "lack of understanding of the state's condition," he said the EC cannot just sent a representative from Delhi, but has to be present in Bengal.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and other BJP MLAs met the chief electoral officer (CEO) at his office, even as representatives of the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee demonstrated outside the premises, seeking more time for completing the SIR exercise.

Adhikari alleged that political consultancy agency I-PAC was "interfering in the data entry process" during the ongoing SIR exercise in the state.

He claimed that the CEO's office itself is not safe, alleging that the Kolkata Police was acting in a partisan manner.

"We have a specific demand that all entries (for the enumeration process) of about 1.25 crore made from November 26 to 28 be examined by the special observers and ECI's technical team and an audit be made," Adhikari told West Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal.

The BJP leaders handed over a representation to the CEO, demanding steps to complete the SIR exercise in the state by ensuring that the process is completed in a clean manner and with proper security for all officials, including the booth-level officers (BLOs).

Alleging that irregularities occurred in the enumeration process, the BJP leader demanded an inquiry and audit into these entries.

"Functionaries of the opposition political party are being prevented from entering your office by some people agitating outside, and the police are not acting against such activities," he told the CEO.

Pointing to a directive by the Election Commission for shifting the CEO's office to a more secure place from its current location in central Kolkata after some BLOs and their supporters entered the precincts and held protests, the BJP demanded that the shifting be done immediately.

"We also demand that if necessary, the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) be engaged to provide security to the CEO's office, observers and BLOs," Adhikari said.

The leader of opposition also alleged that many officers who are not of the proper rank have been given the job of electoral registration officers (EROs) and demanded that they be replaced immediately.

Stating that the BJP had filed specific complaints against about 5,000 BLOs, he alleged that the names of Bangladesh citizens were being illegally entered in the SIR process.

(With PTI inputs)