Kolkata, Mar 31 (PTI) In a strongly-worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday accused the BJP of attempting to illegally include voters from outside West Bengal to the poll-bound state’s electoral rolls in bulk by means of Form 6 applications.
Banerjee termed the move “another coordinated attempt by the BJP, in conjunction with the Election Commission of India, to interfere with the democratic rights of the people” after the “flawed and seemingly targeted SIR caused severe hardship to millions, pushing many to the brink of disenfranchisement”.
The Trinamool Congress chief shot the letter in less than 24 hours after the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday alleged that nearly 30,000 Form 6s were submitted by the BJP in a day to make residents of other states voters of West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee’s letter claimed receipt of “credible reports” that a large number of Form 6 applications were being “submitted by BJP agents at the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO) and across several districts”.
Stating that these do not seem to be routine applications for voter inclusion but “a mischievous ploy to include non-residents in the electoral roll”, the chief minister requested the CEC not to entertain any such applications for inclusion after the publication of the final electoral roll on February 28.
“There are serious concerns that these applications may pertain to individuals who are not genuine residents of Bengal and who have no legitimate connection to the state. Similar patterns were reportedly observed before elections in Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra and Delhi,” the TMC chief wrote to Kumar.
“Such actions, if true, would be illegal, unconstitutional and fundamentally undemocratic, reflecting mala fide intent and ill motive. This is not the standard expected of a constitutional authority. The people have the right to transparency and to the protection of their voting rights,” she added.
In view of the Model Code of Conduct in effect following the declaration of the assembly polls on March 15, Banerjee addressed the communication to Kumar on the TMC chairperson letterhead and not that of the chief minister.
The leader stated that she had “reasonable apprehensions” that the 30,000-odd applications would be “allowed by the EC without giving appropriate notice to the concerned booths (sic) and to all the political parties”.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s February 20 order stating that claims and objections to inclusion or deletion of names in the final electoral rolls would be scrutinised by judicial officers, Banerjee maintained that the decision of the state’s CEO or any other administrative officers on the Form 6 applications was “totally illegal and beyond the scope” of the apex court’s order.
She also referred to an EC memo, dated March 27, allowing addition through Form 6 and addition by shifting through Form 8, considered till the last day of nomination.
The order was “absolutely illegal and unfair by reasons of the Orders of the Supreme Court and beyond the statutory scheme of the Registration of the Electors Rules 1960”, the TMC supremo said.
“These provisions are intended for limited purposes, primarily benefiting prospective candidates and cannot be invoked for bulk consideration of applications,” she maintained.
Addressing an election rally at Garbeta in Paschim Medinipur district, she said, “If the BJP tries to squeeze in illegal outstation voters in Bengal’s electoral rolls, then people will resist.” “They will not get a single vote of the people of Bengal because they know the saffron party has implemented this trick in states like Bihar and Maharashtra and got away with it because the opposition failed to understand the ploy.” Banerjee said she didn’t expect Kumar to respond to her letter.
“My concerns are likely to fall on deaf ears since the poll body is shameless in its actions. It will be judged by the people of this state,” she said.
The Election Commission accepts applications on Form 6 for registering new voters. It is a mandatory procedure which requires the furnishing of documents to prove the applicant’s date of birth and residence address, besides other necessary identity papers. PTI SMY NSD
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