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ECI Sets Up 160 Special Hearing Centres for Bengal's Marginalised Voters

The Election Commission of India will establish 160 temporary, decentralised hearing centres across 12 districts in West Bengal to facilitate voter registration for marginalised communities in remote areas. This initiative, part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), aims to prevent the denial of voting rights due to procedural barriers. The decision follows recent ECI announcements automatically enlisting voters from three aboriginal tribes and providing documentation relaxations for sex workers and transgender communities. These centres will allow electoral officers to personally conduct hearings in remote pockets for a limited duration.

Key Points: ECI's 160 Hearing Centres for Bengal Marginalised Communities

  • 160 decentralised hearing centres
  • 12 West Bengal districts
  • For remote marginalised communities
  • Part of Special Intensive Revision
  • Follows relaxations for tribes & sex workers
2 min read

SIR in Bengal: ECI to set up 160 'special decentralised hearing centres' for marginalised communities

ECI establishes 160 decentralised hearing centres in 12 Bengal districts to ensure voting rights for remote marginalised communities.

"specially sensitive that the people from marginalised backgrounds are not denied their voting rights - CEO Office Source"

Kolkata, Jan 4

The Election Commission of India has decided to set up 160 special decentralised hearing centres in certain districts of West Bengal for marginalised communities residing in remote pockets.

The 12 districts where such 160 centres would be set up include Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Jhargram, Purulia, West Midnapore, Bankura, Nadia, West Burdwan, Howrah, and North 24 Parganas, insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

Depending on the requirement, a couple of such centres might also be set up in the coastal belts of the South 24 Parganas district.

"Recently, the District Magistrates, also the District Electoral Officers, of these districts had sent a recommendation to the Commission through the CEO's office for setting up such centres in the respective districts. Considering the legitimacy of the requirement, the Commission had finally given go-ahead for the proposal," sources in the CEO's office said.

He also said that since the beginning of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, the Commission had been specially sensitive that the people from marginalised backgrounds are not denied their voting rights because of protocol loops, and hence, time-to-time special relaxations were made for them, with the decision for setting up centres being the latest relaxation.

These centres will be temporary hearing camps set up in remote areas for a day or a few days, where electoral officers will personally reach and conduct hearings for the marginalised people staying there.

Last week, ECI announced that voters from three "aboriginal tribes" or "primitive tribes" will be automatically enlisted in the final voters' list of West Bengal, and voters from these three communities will not be required to furnish any documents for that purpose. These three "aboriginal tribes" are Birhor, Toto, and Sabar.

Earlier to that, the ECI had announced special relaxations for sex workers, people from transgender or other communities, and declared monks in connection with the identity proof-related formalities to be followed at the ongoing hearing sessions on the claims and objections on the draft voters' list in West Bengal.

The Commission had decided not to be stringent about the authenticity of the supporting identity documents required for establishing their voting rights, as in the cases of regular categories of voters.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Good initiative, but implementation is key. I hope these temporary centres are properly staffed and publicised so people actually know about them. Often, such schemes fail due to lack of awareness on the ground.
A
Arjun K
Including the Birhor, Toto, and Sabar tribes automatically is a great move. These communities have faced historical neglect. Taking the election machinery to their doorstep is what 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' should look like.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has worked with NGOs in Purulia, I can say this is a much-needed step. The procedural hurdles for people without formal documents are immense. Relaxing norms for sex workers and transgenders is also very progressive.
V
Vikram M
While the intent is good, I hope this doesn't become a tool for political parties to manipulate voter lists in these sensitive districts. The ECI must ensure strict monitoring to prevent any malpractices.
M
Meera T
Every vote counts! Bringing the hearing centres to remote pockets of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and the Jangalmahal areas is a logistical challenge, but it's the right thing to do. Hope they also arrange for basic facilities at these camps.

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