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ECI's Bengal Voter List Scrutiny: Micro-Observers on High Alert for DOB Mismatches

The Election Commission of India has instructed micro-observers in West Bengal to meticulously note any mismatches in dates of birth between commission records and voter-submitted documents during upcoming hearing sessions. This measure is part of a rigorous process to ensure the final voters' list is accurate by excluding bogus entries while protecting valid voters. The hearings will first address over 30 lakh "unmapped" voters before scrutinizing around 1.36 crore cases flagged for dubious family tree data. The final electoral roll will be published on February 14, 2021, ahead of the crucial state Assembly elections.

Key Points: ECI Advises Micro-Observers on DOB Mismatches in Bengal Voter Hearings

  • DOB mismatch vigilance
  • Scrutiny of 30 lakh unmapped voters
  • Hearing for 1.36 crore doubtful cases
  • Final list due Feb 14
2 min read

SIR in Bengal: ECI advises micro-observers to take note of DOB mismatches in hearing sessions

ECI trains micro-observers to flag date-of-birth mismatches in Bengal's voter hearings, aiming to create a foolproof electoral roll for the 2021 Assembly polls.

"The idea is to make the hearing sessions exercise foolproof so that neither a single valid voter is excluded... nor a single bogus voter remains included. - CEO's Office Source"

Kolkata, Dec 25

The Election Commission of India has advised the micro-observers appointed to supervise the hearing sessions to be especially vigilant about the mismatches in dates of birth in its records and supporting documents furnished by the voters concerned.

Clear instructions were given to the micro-observers during a training programme on Wednesday about their roles in the hearing sessions.

Explaining the matter in detail, sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that during the hearing sessions, instances might surface where there might be mismatches between the dates of birth that are in the records of the Commission, with those mentioned in the supporting identity documents provided by the voters during the hearing sessions.

"In such cases, the duty of the micro-observers would be to take note of such date of birth mismatches and report to their higher authorities, so that these cases are subjected to further scrutiny at the end of the hearing session," sources in the CEO's office explained.

At the same time, he added, the micro-observers have also been advised to match the claims made by the voters with the supporting documents provided during the hearing sessions.

"The idea is to make the hearing sessions exercise foolproof so that neither a single valid voter is excluded from the final voters' list nor a single bogus voter remains included there," the CEO's office source said.

In the first stage of hearing sessions starting from December 27, unmapped voters, those not having links with the 2002 list either through "self mapping" or through "progeny mapping", will be summoned. The number of such "unmapped voters" is a little over 30 lakhs.

In the second stage of the hearing, doubtful voters whose weird family tree data have been detected in "progeny mapping" will be summoned for a hearing. The number of such doubtful cases is around 1.36 crore.

The last time the SIR was conducted in West Bengal was in 2002.

The draft voters' list was published on December 16. The final voters' list will be published on February 14 next year. Soon after that, the ECI will announce the polling dates for the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal, scheduled for next year.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh Q
DOB mismatches are a common problem in rural areas. Many people don't have birth certificates and use school leaving certificates. The ECI should be careful not to disenfranchise genuine voters because of bureaucratic errors. The intent is good, but execution must be humane.
A
Aman W
1.36 crore doubtful cases? That's a staggering number. It shows how badly the voter list needs cleaning. The 2002 list is ancient history. This Special Summary Revision is long overdue. Kudos to ECI for taking this on before the big elections.
S
Sarah B
As an observer, I appreciate the detailed training. Micro-observers have a tough job. They must be impartial and record discrepancies accurately. The pressure from local political workers will be immense. Hope they are given proper security and support.
V
Vikram M
The phrase "weird family tree data" says it all. Progeny mapping should expose a lot of bogus entries. This is crucial for the integrity of the election. No party should benefit from fraudulent voters. Let the best party win based on real votes.
K
Kriti O
While the goal is noble, I'm concerned about the timeline. Hearing sessions start Dec 27 and final list is Feb 14. That's very fast to scrutinize crores of cases. Rushed scrutiny can lead to mistakes. ECI must ensure quality over speed.
N

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