Kolkata: Election Commission–appointed electoral roll observer C Murugan on Thursday faced protests during his inspection of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Falta in South 24-Parganas.
A group of local women, reportedly Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters, surrounded him and raised slogans demanding that the Centre first release funds for housing under the Awas Yojana and pending wages under the 100-day MGNREGA scheme. They allegedly warned that the SIR process would not be allowed to continue until these dues were cleared.
Murugan later expressed displeasure over the disruption, terming it a deliberate attempt to obstruct the revision exercise. “The matter would be examined and accordingly dealt with,” said Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal.
According to the CEO’s office, till 4 pm over 58.08 lakh forms remained uncollectible across the state. Of these, 24.1 lakh relate to dead voters, while 19.93 lakh are shifted voters. Over 1.20 lakh voters are untraceable, while another 1.37 lakh fall under a similar untraceable category. Additionally, 30 lakh voters remain unmapped.
The state has achieved 100 per cent distribution of enumeration forms, with over 7.66 crore forms circulated. The number digitised stands at 7,66,08,095, accounting for 99.96 per cent.
As part of its pre-poll preparations for the upcoming Assembly election, the CEO’s office on Thursday held a high-level coordination meeting in Kolkata with representatives from 25 departments and enforcement agencies of the state and Centre. According to sources, CEO Manoj Agarwal sought inputs from participating agencies to assess law-and-order preparedness, logistical needs and areas requiring heightened vigilance.
Each department was asked to submit status reports and relevant datasets to aid a comprehensive security and administrative review.
Top officials from the state police, Kolkata Police, and senior officers of the BSF, SSB, CISF and RPF attended the meeting. “It was a routine exercise undertaken under the directions of the Election Commission of India,” Agarwal said.
Responding to questions about the absence of the Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, Agarwal stated that their presence was not mandatory and that senior officers had represented both forces.
The Special Director of the Enforcement Directorate’s Kolkata zonal office was also present, signalling the involvement of agencies responsible for monitoring financial irregularities and illegal fund flow during the poll period.