The Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that both appeals against the inclusion and exclusion of voters in West Bengal's electoral rolls during the special intensive revision were filed by state poll officials. This revelation comes amid ongoing disputes over the special intensive revision process.
In a significant development, the Election Commission (EC) has disclosed to the Supreme Court that appeals against both the inclusion and exclusion of voters in West Bengal's electoral rolls during the special intensive revision were filed by state poll officials. This revelation was reported by Bar and Bench. The special intensive revision in West Bengal was carried out ahead of the Assembly elections in April. Initially, more than 61 lakh voters were excluded from the rolls, with about 91 lakh being removed by April 6, accounting for nearly 11.9% of West Bengal’s electorate before the revision process began.
Of the 38.2 lakh appeals filed, 22.2 lakh were filed by voters whose names had been deleted from the electoral rolls. These 22.2 lakh appeals make up around 82% of the 27 lakh voters whose names were deleted and placed under adjudication during the revision ahead of the Assembly polls.
On the other hand, at least 16.1 lakh appeals challenged the inclusion of voters, as submitted by the Election Commission in the Supreme Court. The Election Commission had at first not specified who had filed these appeals.
In response to questions regarding the filings, Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu wrote to officials asking who had authorised the filing of the appeals ‘on behalf of [the Election Commission] and by whom’ and ‘who actually filed these appeals on behalf of [the poll panel]’.
In a letter dated October 22, the state chief electoral officer’s office conveyed to the poll panel that the appeals were filed by officials of their office in their capacity as authorities under the Representation of the People Act, 1950.
The Election Commission said the voters against whom the appeals were filed were already on the electoral rolls and were entitled to vote in the West Bengal Assembly elections held in April.
Source:
Scroll.in
