Kolkata, March 9 – The ongoing political battle over the voter identification and registration (SIR) process in West Bengal spilled over into consultations with the Election Commission (EC) on Monday, as political parties met with the election panel separately. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged voter harassment, while the BJP pushed for fewer phases in the elections.
The discussions, held at a hotel in New Town, on the eastern fringes of Kolkata, saw delegations from the ruling Trinamool Congress, BJP, CPI(M), Congress, and other parties meeting with the EC's full bench, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, to voice their concerns.
The consultations came amid increasing tensions between the ruling TMC and the BJP over the ongoing SIR exercise, which has raised concerns about voter exclusion and counter-claims about infiltration and electoral integrity.
Emerging from its meeting with the commission, the TMC alleged that the revision process had led to harassment of ordinary citizens and claimed that their concerns were not adequately addressed during the interaction.
Senior party leader and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said she was asked not to "raise her voice" while objecting to the process.
"I am a woman, and I was told not to raise my voice. Why should I not speak up when we are discussing the rights of the people?" Bhattacharya told reporters after the meeting.
She also stated that whenever the party attempted to raise concerns about the SIR process, the commission responded by saying that the matter was under judicial review in the Supreme Court, where the TMC has challenged the exercise.
"Whenever we spoke about SIR, they said it was being reviewed in the Supreme Court. If that is the case, why did they call us for the meeting? When they have invited us, they must listen to what we have to say," she said.
Defending the party's move to approach the apex court, Bhattacharya said it was the responsibility of the ruling party to protect the rights of citizens.
The SIR exercise has become one of the most contentious political issues in the state in recent months, with the TMC alleging that the revision is aimed at removing genuine voters from electoral rolls, a charge rejected by the Election Commission.
According to official data released on February 28, around 63.66 lakh names, approximately 8.3 per cent of the electorate, have been deleted since the revision began in November last year, bringing down the voter base from about 7.66 crore to a little over 7.04 crore.
Additionally, more than 60 lakh electors have been placed under the "under adjudication" category, meaning their eligibility will be decided through legal scrutiny in the coming weeks, a development that could potentially reshape electoral equations in several constituencies.
Kolkata Mayor and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim alleged that the exercise had forced ordinary citizens to repeatedly prove their nationality.
"The BJP has created a perception that this state is a place for Rohingyas and infiltrators, and the commission framed policies accordingly. But in the two-month-long process, you did not find any proof of that. Instead, Indian citizens were harassed," Hakim said.
He also claimed that many people were being forced to stand in long queues to complete verification procedures.
"People are leaving their work and daily livelihood just to prove they are citizens. Hundreds have fallen ill, and some have died while standing in queues," he alleged.
The BJP delegation, however, raised a different set of issues during its separate meeting with the commission, focusing on the security environment and the conduct of the polls.
The party demanded that the upcoming assembly elections be conducted in not more than three phases, arguing that a prolonged polling schedule could facilitate the movement of anti-social elements.
"We demanded a one, two or three-phase election, but not more," BJP leader Jagannath Chattopadhyay said after the meeting.
The BJP also expressed dissatisfaction over the utilisation of central forces deployed in the state, alleging that the state police was influencing their deployment and that route marches were being conducted in relatively peaceful areas instead of sensitive locations.
"If a violence-free and fearless environment is to be created, the Commission must take action against state police and government officials who prevent voters from casting their own ballots," a BJP leader said.
The CPI(M), which also met the poll panel separately, demanded that the elections be conducted in a single phase, arguing that multi-phase polls allow anti-social elements to move from one district to another and influence the process.
According to EC officials, parties also raised concerns about poll violence, the use of crude bombs and illegal firearms, and the need for adequate deployment of Central Armed Police Forces.
Addressing the delegations, the chief election commissioner assured political parties that the commission would ensure free, fair and transparent elections in the state.
"The Election Commission has zero tolerance towards violence. We will not leave any stone unturned in ensuring impartial, transparent and peaceful elections," Kumar told the delegations, according to officials.
He also reiterated that the SIR exercise had been conducted in a transparent and unbiased manner and said statutory provisions allow electors to file claims and objections for inclusion, deletion or correction of entries in the rolls.