SIR turned into chaotic process, says CPI(M)

KOLKATA: The CPI(M) claimed that the manner in which the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls is being carried out across the country has turned into a chaotic, arbitrary process that threatens both the integrity of the voter rolls and the safety of those forced to undertake that work.

What was meant to be a routine, transparent and citizen-friendly exercise, turned out to be a political tug of war.

The entire exercise is being conducted in a tearing hurry and poorly planned manner. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have been given impossible deadlines to complete the door-to-door verification.

This haste has led to complaints in several places of BLOs camping in some party offices and asking voters to visit them. All these will inevitably lead to mass exclusion and errors.

The immense pressure that has allegedly befallen on the BLOs has already claimed many lives.

They are allegedly working under crushing workloads, without adequate rest or safeguards.

These are not accidental casualties – they are the direct outcome of an irresponsible and inhuman administrative process.

It is also shocking that the Election Commission is not using its own duplicate-voter detection software, a tool specifically created to ensure accuracy and reduce manual burdens.

This raises serious concerns about the real intent and purpose behind the current revision.

This is compounded by the fact that both BLOs and ordinary voters who want to upload forms are facing problems of internet connectivity, unstable servers and repeated technical failures.

For many, especially for marginalised sections and in rural areas, uploading a simple form has become an ordeal, effectively creating new barriers to voter inclusion.