<p>The incident in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/west-bengal">West Bengal’s</a> Malda district where a group of people held judicial officers captive is condemnable, and further exposes tensions in the poll-bound state. A backdrop of uncertainty over the voting rights of thousands of people adds significance to the incident.</p>.<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>, while criticising the state authorities and ordering a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), took note of the “complete failure of the administration” for hours, putting the lives of the seven officers in danger. The officers were surrounded by people protesting the deletion of their names from the electoral rolls. West Bengal is going through a contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process ahead of a two-phase election scheduled on April 23 and 29.</p>.<p>The Court noted that the Chief Secretary, Dushyant Nariala, was unreachable during the crisis, and directed the officer and local officials to explain their inaction. From the day the election dates were announced, the Election Commission of India has been directing the state administration. Soon after the announcement, the Commission ordered an extensive bureaucratic shuffle, bringing in a set of new officials, including the Chief Secretary and the police chief.</p>.<p>What happened at Malda is an administrative failure for which the ECI should also be held accountable.</p>.Police arrest 17 people in Malda judicial officers' gherao case; EC hands over probe to NIA.<p>Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Chief Secretary did not inform her about the incident. An alert administration would have ensured intelligence inputs about the protesters’ plans and taken steps to avert the situation. Mamata has alleged that the violence was part of a political agenda to impose President’s rule in the state.</p>.<p>Anxiety over the possible impact of SIR is palpable in West Bengal, especially in the northern parts of the state. Hearings have started in connection with names that were deleted from a list of about 60 lakh, stamped “under adjudication.” </p>.<p>The apex court has been informed that of the 60 lakh names, only 29 lakh were adjudicated by last week; the rest of the voters are unlikely to be adjudicated before April 6, the last day for filing nominations in the first phase of the election. West Bengal has seen a protracted SIR, made more complicated than in the other states, by introducing provisions such as the “logical discrepancy” category. </p>.<p>Large sections of people have raised concerns over their possible exclusion and disenfranchisement. These grievances have added a layer of unease to the state’s already charged political climate. That the ECI has not demonstrated intent to address these concerns has only heightened the distrust.</p>
<p>The incident in <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/west-bengal">West Bengal’s</a> Malda district where a group of people held judicial officers captive is condemnable, and further exposes tensions in the poll-bound state. A backdrop of uncertainty over the voting rights of thousands of people adds significance to the incident.</p>.<p>The <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>, while criticising the state authorities and ordering a probe by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), took note of the “complete failure of the administration” for hours, putting the lives of the seven officers in danger. The officers were surrounded by people protesting the deletion of their names from the electoral rolls. West Bengal is going through a contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process ahead of a two-phase election scheduled on April 23 and 29.</p>.<p>The Court noted that the Chief Secretary, Dushyant Nariala, was unreachable during the crisis, and directed the officer and local officials to explain their inaction. From the day the election dates were announced, the Election Commission of India has been directing the state administration. Soon after the announcement, the Commission ordered an extensive bureaucratic shuffle, bringing in a set of new officials, including the Chief Secretary and the police chief.</p>.<p>What happened at Malda is an administrative failure for which the ECI should also be held accountable.</p>.Police arrest 17 people in Malda judicial officers' gherao case; EC hands over probe to NIA.<p>Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the Chief Secretary did not inform her about the incident. An alert administration would have ensured intelligence inputs about the protesters’ plans and taken steps to avert the situation. Mamata has alleged that the violence was part of a political agenda to impose President’s rule in the state.</p>.<p>Anxiety over the possible impact of SIR is palpable in West Bengal, especially in the northern parts of the state. Hearings have started in connection with names that were deleted from a list of about 60 lakh, stamped “under adjudication.” </p>.<p>The apex court has been informed that of the 60 lakh names, only 29 lakh were adjudicated by last week; the rest of the voters are unlikely to be adjudicated before April 6, the last day for filing nominations in the first phase of the election. West Bengal has seen a protracted SIR, made more complicated than in the other states, by introducing provisions such as the “logical discrepancy” category. </p>.<p>Large sections of people have raised concerns over their possible exclusion and disenfranchisement. These grievances have added a layer of unease to the state’s already charged political climate. That the ECI has not demonstrated intent to address these concerns has only heightened the distrust.</p>
