Resignation of AERO Sparks Controversy Over Voter List Discrepancies in West Bengal
Controversy Surrounds Voter Registration Process
Kolkata, Jan 10: A significant controversy has emerged following the resignation of an Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) involved in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal. The officer has alleged that there are efforts to remove the names of legitimate voters from the electoral rolls by labeling them as cases of 'logical discrepancy.'
These 'logical discrepancy' cases pertain to voters whose family tree data appears unusual during the mapping process.
Mausum Sarkar, the AERO for the Bagnan Assembly constituency, has claimed that these discrepancies are part of a broader scheme to disenfranchise a considerable portion of the marginalized population. He submitted his resignation to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), Achintya Kumar Mandal, requesting to be excused from his responsibilities related to the SIR.
Sarkar's resignation letter was submitted on Thursday, and it gained attention on Friday night when ERO Mandal confirmed its receipt and stated that it had been forwarded to higher authorities.
As an officer in the Block Disaster Management Department of Bagnan Block No. II, Sarkar is stepping down ahead of a hearing on these discrepancies set to commence on January 14, which involves around 24,000 cases in that block.
In his resignation letter, Sarkar pointed out that the spelling errors in names flagged as discrepancies were present in the 2002 electoral roll. He noted that ordinary citizens had corrected these mistakes by submitting Form 8 in accordance with Election Commission regulations, which explains the current discrepancies in names and ages.
Speaking to local media, Sarkar expressed his concerns, stating, 'As a responsible citizen, I find no justification for these logical discrepancies. This appears to be an intentional effort to invalidate the votes of many individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities. They may not possess the 12 documents required to resolve these discrepancies, despite having voter cards, Aadhaar cards, and ration cards, which are not being accepted. This situation will adversely affect a specific demographic and many marginalized individuals.'
In response to the situation, Howrah District Magistrate P. Deepap Priya has refrained from commenting.