Bengal SIR: ECI warns strict action, orders smooth hearings after SC directive

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) directed the West Bengal Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, Commissioner of Police (Kolkata), Superintendent of Police of all districts, and District Magistrates to ensure that “there are no law & order problems” at the hearing centres of Bengal SIR and conduct the SIR related activities "smoothly”, following the Supreme Court order. ECI cautioned strict action in case of non-compliance and disturbance during SIR hearings in the state.

Meanwhile, the ECI simultaneously released a detailed guideline and directed the West Bengal CEO’s office to display the names of persons with "Logical Discrepancies" and “unmapped” by January 24, as per the SC order.

CEC Gyanesh Kumar today assured all citizens in West Bengal that no one will be allowed to take law in their hands and strict action will be taken in all such cases. He was speaking at the IIIDEM Conference in New Delhi.


In a letter to Chief Secretary, DGP and Kolkata Police Commissioner, the ECI stated that “strict action shall be taken in case of any non-compliance" of the ECI directions or "occurrence of instances of any disturbance to SIR proceedings due to omission or commission of any act by the concerned authorities.”

The Commission also directed the state government to provide “adequate manpower to the Chief Electoral Officer at Panchayat Bhawans or Block Offices and other such places of hearing to handle submission of documents."

Every District Magistrates and Superintendent of Police have been directed by the ECI to “deploy adequate staff and forces to ensure smooth conduct of SIR proceedings in such places.”

Meanwhile, ECI, in a detailed guideline said that the names of the persons, under both the categories “Logical Discrepancies” and “Unmapped”, “shall be displayed at “the Gram Panchayat Bhawans, public places in every Taluka, and Block Office of every Taluka (Sub-Division), as well as in the Ward Offices in the cities of the urban areas.”

The ECI said that the persons under these two categories (“Logical Discrepancies” and “Unmapped”), are “permitted to submit their documents/objections through their authorized representative, who can even be a Booth Level Agent (BLA).”

However, the person will have to give an authority letter to a representative, "either signed or thumb-marked.”

The Directive stated that the West Bengal CEO shall "designate a Gram Panchayat Bhawan or Block Office or Ward Office for each part of electoral rolls, within or nearby to the polling station area, for submitting of documents and hearing."

"The affected persons can submit documents/objections at the designated Panchayat Bhawan or Block Office or Ward office. Further, upto ten days from displaying the names of the persons in the Panchayat Bhawans/Block Offices/Ward Offices, as directed above, all such persons who have not yet submitted their claims, documents, or objections are allowed to do so within the extended period," it said.

"All affected persons, in addition to being given an opportunity to submit documents, materials, or objections, shall also be heard by ERO/AERO at that same time either in person or through the authorised representative accompanying them, for the purpose of making an appropriate decision."

Following the SC order, the ECI stated that “the official, who will receive the documents or accord hearing to the affected persons, shall also certify the receipt of documents and the conduct of such hearing.”

ECI has mentioned that the Madhyamik admit card (Class 10), which has date of birth of the candidate, can be “submitted apart from Madhyamik pass certificate during the hearing.”