TMC alleges 40 BLO deaths during SIR in West Bengal, holds CEC accountable
New Delhi, Nov 28: A delegation of 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met the Election Commission in Delhi on Friday. Reports…
New Delhi, Nov 28: A delegation of 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs met the Election Commission in Delhi on Friday. Reports indicate that the discussions between the TMC MPs and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) lasted nearly two hours. Sources said the meeting turned tense, as the MPs raised serious allegations against the commission.
The delegation included Lok Sabha MPs Satabdi Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, Pratima Mondal, Sajda Ahmed, and Mahua Moitra, as well as Rajya Sabha MPs Dola Sen, Mamata Thakur, Saket Gokhale, and Prakash Chik Barik.
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After meeting the CEC, TMC MP Derek O’Brien stated that they had met the Chief Election Commissioner and his team and handed over a list of around 40 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who died allegedly due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He said, “We told them (EC) that Gyanesh Kumar has blood on his hands.”
Derek O’Brien further added that the commission did not provide any satisfactory answers to the five questions they had raised. He described the rushed manner in which the SIR is being conducted as not only impractical but also “dangerous, careless, and deeply unjust.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and MP Abhishek Banerjee have repeatedly warned the Election Commission that completing the SIR in just two months is impossible. Despite these warnings, the commission has ignored the concerns. The fatalities among BLOs highlight a shocking reality.
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The delegation also alleged that the BJP, with the support of the Election Commission, is willing to risk human lives to gain power. The opposition has been continuously attacking the Election Commission over the SIR. They have also announced that they will raise the issue in the Winter Session of Parliament, starting December 1.
The SIR matter is currently under judicial review in the Supreme Court. Petitions have been filed by political parties from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Kerala, and the Supreme Court is hearing the case continuously. The SIR exercise is currently underway across 12 states and Union territories, including West Bengal.
