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ECI Sends 22 Roll Observers to States, 11 Focus on West Bengal Revision

The Election Commission of India has deployed 22 additional Roll Observers for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, with 11 specifically assigned to West Bengal, bringing the state's total to 20. Congress workers protested outside the ECI office in Kolkata, chanting slogans against the BJP and PM Modi over the revision process. The Supreme Court, hearing pleas on the SIR, directed the ECI to display names of voters under 'logical discrepancies' at local offices to ensure transparency. The final electoral roll for West Bengal is scheduled for publication on February 14, following an extended deadline for claims and objections.

Key Points: ECI Deputes 22 Roll Observers, 11 in West Bengal Amid SIR

  • 22 new Roll Observers deputed
  • 11 assigned to West Bengal
  • Congress protests against SIR in Kolkata
  • Supreme Court directs name display for discrepancies
  • Final electoral roll publication on Feb 14
2 min read

ECI deputes 22 more roll observers across SIR states, 11 in West Bengal

Election Commission deploys 22 more Roll Observers for Special Intensive Revision, with 11 in West Bengal. Congress protests, Supreme Court issues directives.

"BJP Haaye Haaye, PM Modi Haaye Haaye - Protesting Congress workers"

New Delhi, January 20

The Election Commission of India has deputed 22 more Roll Observers across states, where the Special Intensive Revision process is currently ongoing.

11 of these newly deputed observers have been assigned to West Bengal, taking the total number of Roll Observers in the state to 20.

Meanwhile, Congress workers protested outside the Election Commission's office in Kolkata against the SIR of electoral rolls in Bengal and raised slogans against the BJP-led central government.

The protesting Congress workers chanted the slogan "BJP Haaye Haaye, PM Modi Haaye Haaye".

The SIR exercise is ongoing in West Bengal. The deadline to file claims and objections was extended from January 15 to January 19, giving voters extra time to submit their applications (new voter name additions via Form 6, deletions via Form 7, and corrections via Form 8).

Further, hearings on these claims and objections will continue up to February 7. The Final electoral roll for West Bengal will be published on February 14.

Earlier, the Supreme Court directed the ECI to display the names of the electors falling under the 'logical discrepancies' category in the ongoing SIR of the electoral rolls in West Bengal.

A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant issued directions to the ECI on various pleas alleging procedural illegalities in the SIR exercise in West Bengal.

The apex court noted that the ECI has issued notices to certain persons described as falling under the 'logical discrepancies' category.

Thus, with a view to enabling persons included in the category, the Court issued a direction to display the names of such persons at Gram Panchayat Bhavans, Block Offices, and Ward Offices.

The court also asked the state government to provide adequate manpower to the ECI and the State Election Commission to entertain the documents and objections and to adhere to the hearing process for persons likely to be affected. In this regard, directions shall be issued by the ECI/State Government for the deployment of adequate personnel.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
Sending 11 new observers to Bengal shows how critical the situation is there. The state has a history of electoral malpractices. The extension for claims is good for voters, but the real test will be the hearings. Hope the observers are strict and impartial. 🙏
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Rahul R
While the ECI's actions seem robust, the Congress protest is telling. The SIR process should be beyond doubt. If major opposition parties are raising concerns, the Commission must address them earnestly, not just procedurally. A voter list trusted by all parties is the bedrock of democracy.
A
Ananya R
Good that the deadline was extended! My cousin in Howrah just turned 18 and was able to submit Form 6. The process at the local office was a bit slow, but they accepted it. Making the discrepancy lists public at Panchayat offices is a very good move for rural areas.
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David E
Observing from outside, it's fascinating to see the scale of India's electoral machinery. Deploying so many observers and having the Supreme Court give detailed directives shows the system's complexity and the efforts to maintain integrity. The Feb 14 final roll will be key.
K
Kavitha C
The protest slogans against PM Modi seem like political drama. The focus should be on the process, not sloganeering. The ECI and Supreme Court are doing their job. Now it's up to the state government to provide the manpower as directed. No excuses please!

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