Mamata to hit the streets with a mega rally.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at Hanuman Temple during Chhath Pujacelebrations, in Kolkata on Monday. (Image: ANI)
Kolkata: State government employees, mostly teachers, who were undergoing training to function as Booth Level Officers for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), erupted in protest on Saturday against the Election Commission of India (ECI). They also protested the work conditions and demanded security cover and official duty status.
About 2,000 BLOs were undergoing a three-day training programme in south Kolkata when a section of participants raised objections over administrative and security arrangements.
In south Kolkata’s Nazrul Mancha, training was underway for BLOs of Bhabanipur, Rashbehari, Ballygunge, Tollygunge, Kasba, Jadavpur, Metiabruz, Behala Purba and Behala Paschim Assembly constituencies when protests erupted, they said.
During the session, a section of BLOs objected to the administrative and security arrangements. They demanded formal recognition of their duty status, proper documentation, and additional security measures. They also demanded the appointment of an Additional BLO in booths which have more than 1,000 registered voters.
Teachers deputed as BLOs protested the decision of school authorities to mark them as absent in attendance registers during the training period.
They insisted that their participation in the BLO assignment be officially recorded as being “on duty.” In addition, a large section of BLOs demanded Central security cover for both training and fieldwork, warning that they would abstain from duty unless safety measures are guaranteed.
At Nazrul Mancha, participants alleged that the ECI had failed to issue any valid proof of attendance or training documentation that could be presented at their respective departments.
Similar protests were reported from the Sub-Divisional Office (SDO) in Durgapur, where BLOs jointly voiced their grievances.
The ECI’s training programme for BLOs in West Bengal for SIR, is being held in various districts. It would be completed by November 3, with the SIR process scheduled to begin the following day, officials said.
The sessions are being held in batches, they added.
The EC has issued a 16-point guideline for BLOs as part of the SIR exercise, and introduced a new mobile app to streamline field operations, officials said.
During the training, BLOs are being provided with special kits and detailed instructions on the SIR process, they added. From November 4 to December 4, BLOs will visit households to carry out voter verification and form-filling work.
“The form we were given today does not mention any official reference to the BLO training. We cannot present this at our schools as proof of attendance. Earlier, proper documentation was provided. We demand similar certification for today as well,” a teacher said.
Another participant added: “We are willing to work, but the Commission must provide us with proper documentation and security. Without these, we cannot continue.” Some participants claimed that while earlier sessions included proper certification, the forms distributed on Saturday lacked any official mention of the training.
A teacher remarked: “Without an official certificate, we cannot prove in our schools that we were attending BLO training.
Sources at the EC confirmed that Central security deployment will not be provided during the training period. The Commission further stated that the state administration would be responsible for ensuring security, and also rejected the proposal to appoint two BLOs in larger booths.
Meanwhile, ratcheting up her public posturing against the Election Commission, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee will hit the streets in Kolkata on November 4 to protest against SIR. The effort to cleanse the electoral rolls is slated to kick off on November 4.
The Trinamool Congress chairperson will also be joined by party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in a protest rally from Red Road to Jorasanko on November 4.
While the Trinamool Congress leadership had earlier said that it would not allow the Special Intensive Revision to be held in the state, it has since softened its stand and said that it would not let any legitimate voter to be struck off from electoral rolls.
The protest rally is being considered as an attempt to keep the pressure on the ECI which is conducting SIR in 12 states including West Bengal. The rally will coincide with the day when the door to door enumeration for SIR will start. Under SIR, house-to-house enumeration will take place for a month from November 4 to December 4.
The Trinamool Congress leadership has tried to draw a parallel between SIR and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and highlighted a few suicides claiming that the people who took the extreme step were traumatised by NRC/SIR.
Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has also sent a complaint to the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, alleging that Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari has issued threats to BLOs.
Senior TMC leader and minister Aroop Biswas, in a letter to the CEO on Friday alleged that Adhikari, during a recent press interaction, had openly threatened BLOs with imprisonment if they did not comply with his instruction. In the letter, Biswas demanded that the CEO direct police to register an FIR against Adhikari for criminal intimidation.
Speaking to media persons a few days ago, the BJP leader had referred to Bihar saying that 52 BLOs who did not follow the guidelines of Commission have been put behind bars.
On Saturday, Adhikari defended the charges against him and said that he had said nothing illegal and said he would repeat the remarks any number of times. The BJP leader said that BLOs have to work independently and not favour any political party.
