New Delhi: Continuing her attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote a fresh letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar Monday, raising concerns over ECI’s proposal to set up polling stations within private residential complexes.
Calling this proposal “deeply problematic”, the letter asserts, “Polling stations have always been— and must remain—located in government or semi-government institutions, preferably within a 2 km radius, to ensure accessibility and neutrality.”
She pointed out that private buildings are typically avoided because “they compromise fairness, violate established norms, and create discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public– the haves and have-nots”.
“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? Why? Why? Why?” she goes on to ask, asserting that the implications of such a decision would have a severe impact on the fairness of the electoral process.
Another issue that the letter highlights is related to the contentious Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise initiated by the ECI in the State.
Banerjee questions the request for proposal floated by the CEO, West Bengal for hiring 1,000 data entry operators and 50 software developers for one year. She asserts that the CEO directed the district election officers not to engage contractual data entry operators and Bangla Sahyata Kendra staff for SIR-related or other election-related data work.
This, she says, raises serious concerns, questioning the reasons behind outsourcing the work despite district officers already having a substantial number of competent professionals.
“Traditionally, field offices have always hired their own contractual data entry personnel as per requirement. If there is an urgent need, District Election Officers (DEOs) are fully empowered to undertake such hiring themselves. Why, then, is the CEO’s office assuming this role on behalf of field offices?” the letter asks, adding, “Is this exercise being undertaken at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests?”
Highlighting the two developments, Banerjee urged Kumar to examine these issues with “utmost seriousness, impartiality and transparency”.
“It is essential that the dignity, neutrality and credibility of the Commission remain above reproach and are not compromised under any circumstances,” she wrote.
‘Chaotic, dangerous’
The ECI had passed an order on 27 October, directing the SIR exercise in 9 States and 3 Union Territories. Ever since the exercise began on 4 November, Banerjee has attacked the exercise, highlighting the increased workload and strict timelines imposed on the Booth Level Officers (BLOs), among other things.
In a post on X last week, Banerjee had claimed that an anganwadi worker, Shanti Muni Ekka, who is a tribal lady, “took her own life under the unbearable pressure of the ongoing SIR work.”
Banerjee, in fact, alleged that 28 people had lost their lives since the SIR exercise began— “some due to fear and uncertainty, others due to stress and overload”, she wrote in a post on X Wednesday.
“Such precious lives are being lost because of the unplanned, relentless workload imposed by the so-called Election Commission of India. A process that earlier took 3 years is now being forced into 2 months on the eve of elections to please political masters, putting inhuman pressure on BLOs,” Banerjee added, urging the ECI to halt the drive “before more lives are lost”.
In another letter written to Kumar last week, Banerjee asserted that the manner in which the SIR exercise was being “forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous”.
Highlighting the excessive workload on the BLOs involved in the process, she asserted that instead of offering support, extending timelines, or addressing flaws in the exercise, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in West Bengal has issued show-cause notices to the BLOs, reportedly citing lapses in digitisation processes.
She urged the CEC to halt the exercise, “stop coercive measures, provide proper training and support, and thoroughly reassess the present methodology and timelines”.
(Edited by Varnika Dhawan)
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