Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury wrote to the West Bengal CEO expressing concern over the exclusion of voters from the electoral roll. The party held a protest in Kolkata, demanding an explanation from the Election Commission.
Congress Raises Concerns Over Electoral Roll
Member of the All India Congress Working Committee (AICC), Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Monday, wrote to the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) expressing serious concerns regarding the ongoing revision of the electoral rolls in the state. Chowdhury, in his letter, pointed out that a significant number of voters have reportedly been excluded from the recently published tentative electoral roll. He cautioned that minor discrepancies, including small mismatches in names or documentation, could result in the deletion of genuine voters during the adjudication process.
Chowdhury expressed apprehension that once the election dates are announced, the electoral roll in force at that time would be treated as final, leaving no scope for correction and thereby potentially depriving bona fide citizens of their constitutionally guaranteed right to vote. Emphasising the importance of safeguarding democratic principles, Chowdhury urged the authorities to ensure that the adjudication process is completed thoroughly and that the final electoral roll is published well in advance of the announcement of poll dates. He stressed that no genuine voter should be denied the opportunity to exercise his or her franchise in a free and fair election.
Protests Erupt in Kolkata
Earlier today, Congress carried out a protest march from Bankshall Court to the West Bengal State Election Commission in Kolkata, against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, demanding an explanation over the alleged removal of voters’ names from the list.
‘EC Must Audit and Make Public,’ Says Chatterjee
Congress leader Ashutosh Chatterjee questioned the Election Commission’s (EC) silence on the alleged removal of genuine voters’ names from the electoral rolls and said that there will be protests until an efficient answer is provided and announced a dharna on Friday. “What is the reason behind the removal of genuine voters’ names today? The Election Commission is silent. The full reason for this must be audited and made public. Otherwise, there will be strong protests, and we will hold a dharna on the 6th March,” he told ANI.
‘Court Must Ensure No Genuine Voter Removed,’ Says Sarkar
Meanwhile, West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar also expressed anguish against the EC and asked the court to ensure no genuine voter is removed from the rolls. “A genuine voter who can’t vote won’t be on the voter list. What is the logical explanation behind this? The Election Commission is saying that the judiciary knows everything. We have nothing to do with this. We are raising our voice against the Election Commission and demanding that the Court ensure that the names of genuine voters are not removed from the list. We will stay on the streets for the welfare of the people,” he stated.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)