SIR row: Display ‘logical discrepancies’ list of 1.25 crore voters in West Bengal, SC tells EC
Logical discrepancies in progeny linking with the 2002 voter list include instances of a mismatch in the parent’s name and the age difference between a voter and their parent being less than 15 years or more than 50 years
In a relief to the TMC government, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission to display the names of 1.25 crore voters in West Bengal on the “logical discrepancies” list at gram panchayat bhavans, block offices of talukas and ward offices.
The poll panel has raised objections of “logical discrepancy” against around 1.25 crore voters during the ongoing SIR in West Bengal where Assembly election has to be conducted before May 7, when the term of the current Assembly will come to an end.
Logical discrepancies in progeny linking with the 2002 voter list include instances of a mismatch in the parent’s name and the age difference between a voter and their parent being less than 15 years or more than 50 years.
A three-judge bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said those likely to be affected by SIR of the electoral rolls in West Bengal should be allowed to submit their documents or objections.
While hearing petitions alleging arbitrariness and procedural irregularities in the ongoing SIR in West Bengal, the bench directed that the office for submitting the documents and objections shall be set up within the panchayat bhavans or block offices.
“The state government shall provide adequate man power to the State Election Commission for the deployment at the panchayat bhavans and block offices.
“In this regard, we direct that every district shall meticulously comply with the directions issued by EC or the state government for the staff for smooth functioning,” the bench said.
It directed the West Bengal DGP to ensure that there was no law-and-order problem and that all the activities were completed smoothly.
“Over one crore people have been notified. Please understand the stress people are suffering. We will issue directions where needed,” the bench said.
The Supreme Court had on January 12 asked the Election Commission to respond to pleas filed by TMC MPs Derek O Brien and Dola Sen alleging arbitrariness and procedural irregularities on the part of EC in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in West Bengal.
The poll panel has created and deployed a new category described as ‘logical discrepancies’ without any written order or guideline, to “issue/decide to issue notices to 1.36 crore electors without any statutory basis”, the TMC MPs had alleged.
“EC has, in effect, substituted its formal system of statutory communication with what is being informally described at the field level as a ‘WhatsApp Commission’, wherein critical instructions, warnings and consequences of alleged non-compliance are communicated exclusively through messaging platforms,” Derek O Brien had complained.
Taking exception to EC issuing directions via WhatsApp instead of an official circular, the CJI on Monday said, “There is no question of running everything through WhatsApp. Circulars have to be issued.”
Noting that notices have been issued to about two crore persons for verification of documents, the bench said notices were broadly in three categories — mapped, unmapped and logical discrepancy. Under the ‘logical discrepancy’ category, father’s name mismatch, mismatch of parent age and difference in age of grandparents were noticed by authorities conducting the SIR exercise, it said.
The final electoral roll is due to be published by the poll panel on February 14.
