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ECI Dismisses Controversy Over Celebrity Voter List Summons as Baseless

The Election Commission of India has stated that controversies surrounding the summoning of celebrities for hearings on the draft voters' list are unfounded. The office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer clarified that notices were issued because the linkage column in their enumeration forms was left blank, a standard procedure. Several high-profile individuals, including actor-politician Dev and cricketer Mohammed Shami, were among those summoned. The hearings will continue until February 7, after which the full ECI bench will visit West Bengal ahead of the announcement of Assembly election dates.

Key Points: ECI: Celebrity Voter List Summons Controversy Baseless

  • ECI dismisses controversy as baseless
  • Notices sent due to blank linkage forms
  • Celebrities like Dev, Shami received notices
  • Deadline for draft list objections ends Monday
  • Full bench to visit Bengal before poll dates
2 min read

Bengal SIR: Controversies over summoning celebrities baseless, says ECI

Election Commission clarifies hearing notices to celebrities like Dev, Shami were routine due to blank linkage forms, dismissing political controversy.

"The claim is misleading. He has been called for a hearing like all the other similarly placed electors. - CEO Office, West Bengal"

Kolkata, Jan 19

The Election Commission of India on Monday asserted that controversies over the summoning of celebrities and the who's who for hearings on claims and objections on the draft voters' list are baseless.

Recently, Chandra Kumar Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, was summoned by the poll panel for the hearing.

Chandra Kumar Bose was recently served a similar notice of hearing.

As political controversies were sparked and questions were raised about why the grandnephew of Netaji would be summoned for a hearing, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, clarified, citing the reason for summoning Chandra Kumar Bose.

"The claim is misleading. The enumeration form clearly shows that the linkage column is left blank. He has, therefore, been called for a hearing like all the other similarly placed electors as per the notification of ECI," the clarification statement from the CEO's office read.

Earlier, political controversies started over similar hearing notices sent to actor-turned-politician and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member, Dipak Adhikari a.k.a. Dev, former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former Mohun Bagan football club president Swapan Sadhan Bose, popularly known as Tutu Bose, his son, Srinjoy Bose, also a former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and also the general secretary of that iconic soccer club from Kolkata and Indian pacer, Mohammed Shami.

"In all these cases, too, the hearting notices were sent because enumeration forms clearly showed that the linkage columns were left blank. In each of these cases, the CEO's office had to issue clarification notices. Had the persons concerned checked with the voters concerned on why they were served with hearing notices, such controversies would not have arisen," sources in the CEO's office said.

The deadline for submissions on claims and objections to the draft voters' list is expiring on Monday. However, the hearing sessions will continue till February 7. Thereafter, the full bench of the Commission will visit West Bengal, and soon after that, the ECI is expected to announce the polling dates for the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priyanka N
Good to see the ECI standing firm. In Bengal, every small thing becomes a huge political drama before elections. If Dev, Tutu Bose, or even Netaji's grandnephew made an error in the form, they should just attend the hearing. No one is above the law. 👍
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Rohit P
While I agree the controversy is baseless, the ECI must also ensure their forms and process are crystal clear to avoid such confusion. A blank column shouldn't automatically mean a summons if other details are correct. The process needs to be citizen-friendly, not just rigid.
A
Ananya R
This is typical Bengal poll season! 🤦‍♀️ Instead of focusing on real issues like development, parties are creating noise over procedural matters. Hope the voters see through this and the ECI conducts free and fair elections without any pressure.
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Michael C
Interesting to see this from an international perspective. The principle of equality before the election law is paramount. The clarification seems logical. The real test will be if the hearing process is transparent and quick for all these individuals.
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Kavya N
Even Mohammed Shami got a notice! This proves it's not political targeting. If your form has an issue, you get a hearing. Period. The CEO's office is right – people should have checked first before crying foul on social media.

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