Kolkata, March 31 In response to the TMC's allegations of electoral roll manipulation through applications under Form 6 in the run-up to the Assembly polls, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal clarified on Tuesday that his office has no software to add or delete names of any voter.
Form 6 is filled for the inclusion of first-time voters in the electoral rolls or for transferring a voter from one constituency to another.
The ruling Trinamool Congress alleged on Tuesday that the BJP was trying to include illegal voters from outside West Bengal in the state's electoral rolls to favor the saffron party in the election.
Reacting to the allegation, Agarwal said, "I want to say that this is a government office, there is a receiving section, and anyone can submit as many documents as he or she wants."
"There could be one lakh documents or one document submitted in a day by one person. I do not have information as the head of the office about this. There is a rule."
"I do not require to know who is submitting what. The documents are segregated, and then, if required, those are sent to me. I have come to know that some Form 6s have been received by us," the CEO told reporters.
He also said, "There is no such software in the CEO's office through which names can be added or deleted. If allegations arise against someone of being a fake voter, officials concerned carry out verification under the prescribed procedure, and the report is then submitted to the Election Commission."
Party supremo Mamata Banerjee wrote a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, claiming that Form 6 applications of "not genuine residents of Bengal having no legitimate connection to the state" are "illegal, unconstitutional and fundamentally undemocratic, reflecting mala fide intent and ill motive".
On Monday, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee alleged the BJP had submitted around 30,000 Form 6s to the state chief electoral officer's office within a few hours, in clear violation of Supreme Court directives.
Agarwal's clarification on Tuesday came hours after a group of booth-level officers (BLOs), perceived to be backed by the ruling Trinamool Congress, protested outside his office, alleging voter list manipulation, and scuffled with the police and BJP workers.
Earlier in the day, the CEO promised to review the CCTV footage of his office after the TMC alleged a BJP leader's representative brought a sackful of Form 6 there to enrol residents of other states as voters here.
The protest outside the CEO's office took place after Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari visited the office to lodge a complaint against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of instigating unrest, a senior police officer said.
Shortly after his departure, the BLOs started protesting. Later, BJP workers gathered at the same spot, which led to heightened tension.
The protesting BLOs, perceived to be backed by the ruling TMC, also claimed that BJP supporters had attacked them.
A senior police officer present at the scene said, "We stepped in to maintain law and order as the situation was getting out of hand. Minimal force was used to disperse the gathering."
Cops used the public address system, urging protesters to vacate the area, where prohibitory orders were clamped.
The Trinamool Congress posted a video on social media purportedly showing the submission of Form 6.
In the post, it claimed, "The design is clear. Bring in voters from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Change Bengal's demography. Change Bengal's verdict. Erase Bengal's voice before a single vote is cast."
Agarwal said the Election Commission would step in if the police fail to act in connection with the protest outside the CEO's office.
He said the Kolkata Police chief has imposed prohibitory orders in the area.
"Section 163 has been enforced here by the Kolkata Police Commissioner. Therefore, if any disturbance occurs in this area, it is the responsibility of the police to handle the situation. They must be allowed to perform their duty. If they fail, the Commission will take action," he said.
Earlier this month, the Election Commission, as part of a broader administrative and police reshuffle in West Bengal, removed Supratim Sarkar as the Kolkata Police commissioner and appointed Ajay Nand in his place soon after the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.