Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS) The office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal, has communicated to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday that the ground work is ready to begin the process of beginning the special intensive revision in the state.
An insider from the CEO’s office said that the communication on this count was sent to the ECI’s headquarters in Delhi after the CEO’s office compiled the reports sent by different district election officers on the ground-level preparedness for the special intensive revision at the respective districts.
The last time that special intensive revision was conducted in West Bengal was in 2002.
During the current year, the special intensive revision process has been completed recently in neighbouring Bihar, where the polls are scheduled this year.
Now, the process might start in the case of West Bengal, where the assembly elections are scheduled next year, at any time from now.
The process of the special intensive revision in West Bengal is expected to start anytime now amid continuing political slugfest over the exercise.
On one hand, the ruling Trinamool Congress has described the revision exercise as a ploy by the BJP to slap the NRC in West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress had also accused ECI of operating on the behest of the BJP to ensure the latter’s victory in the assembly elections.
On the other hand, the BJP had claimed that Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were opposing the special intensive revision of fear that names of many illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators would be deleted from the list following the revision exercise.
Already, tensions between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the West Bengal government are escalating on multiple fronts, with clear signs that the confrontation could intensify in the coming days.
The immediate flashpoint is the ECI’s directive to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant earlier this week, ordering the suspension of four election officers and the lodging of FIRs against them.
The Commission found the officials guilty of irregularities in the addition of names to electoral rolls in two constituencies. This action is being seen as a strong warning from the Commission to all those involved in the state’s electoral process.
The West Bengal government has now started weighing legal options against the direction of the Commission to the Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant.
–IANS
src/pgh