Election Commission Raises Security Concerns in West Bengal Voter List Review

Security Issues Identified During Voter List Review

The Election Commission has expressed serious concerns regarding security lapses during the special intensive review (SIR) hearings for the voter list in various regions of West Bengal. The Commission has requested a detailed action report from the state police by January 6.

In a letter addressed to the state's Director General of Police, the Commission highlighted incidents reported by voter list observer and senior official C. Murugan. His report detailed several occurrences during the SIR hearings held on December 29 in the Magrahat-1, Magrahat-2, and Kulpi blocks of South 24 Parganas district.

The Commission noted that similar serious concerns were raised in reports submitted by the special voter list observer and the Chief Electoral Officer. Upon reviewing these reports, it was found that despite prior notification to the relevant sub-divisional officer and the Superintendent of Police regarding the visit schedule, adequate security measures were not implemented. As a result, the observer had to navigate sensitive areas without proper police protection.

The Commission further reported that after multiple attempts, an FIR was filed against 30 to 40 unidentified individuals on December 29. They stated, 'These incidents reflect a significant lapse on the part of the police administration.'

The Commission has instructed the Director General of Police to submit a comprehensive action report by 5 PM on January 6, detailing the actions taken by the police, follow-up measures, and steps taken to assign accountability.