SIR in Bengal: 3,000 micro-observers to conduct on-ground supervision of claims/objections hearings

Kolkata, Dec 20 (IANS) A total of 3,000 micro-observers will be conducting on-ground supervision of the hearing sessions on the claims and objections on the draft voters’ list in West Bengal, due to start from next week.

In all probability, the hearing sessions in the second stage of the three-state Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise will start from December 27. The draft voters’ list was published on December 16.

A source in the office of the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that the decision to appoint 3,000 micro-observers was taken with the idea of deputing one such micro-observer for each of the hearing tables.

“The idea is that each of the hearing tables will have one electoral registration officer, one assistant electoral registration officer, and one micro-observer. The decision is aimed at excluding the possibilities of any irregularity in the hearing process so that neither the name of a single genuine voter is deleted nor the name of a single bogus voter remains included,” the source said.

As already decided by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Central government employees or employees of Central public sector undertakings or public sector banks at Group-B level or above will be appointed as the micro-observers.

These micro-observers will again work under the direct supervision of the special roll observers to review the ongoing revision exercise in the state.

The hearing session on claims and objections will be conducted only at the offices of the District Magistrates, who are also the district electoral officers.

The ECI has entrusted the District Magistrates with the responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of the special roll observers and micro-observers in the course of the hearing session.

It has also sent a request to the Union Home Ministry for the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to secure the CEO’s office in central Kolkata immediately.

It is learnt that, as per the ECI’s proposal, the CAPF deployment will continue till the time the model code of conduct is enforced in the state after the dates for the Assembly elections in the state are announced.

The SIR exercise in West Bengal started on November 4. The process will end with the publication of the final voters’ list on February 14 next year. After that, the ECI will announce the polling and counting dates for the crucial Assembly elections.

–IANS

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