No genuine voter to be axed; zero tolerance for violence, intimidation: CEC on WB polls
As West Bengal gears up for the high-stakes assembly polls, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday sought to quell the row over contentious SIR, assuring that no eligible voter’s name would be removed from the electoral rolls, and vowed to conduct violence-free and fair elections in the state.
The assurance came amid an escalating confrontation between the Election Commission (EC) and the ruling TMC over allegations of large-scale voter deletions during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, which has triggered legal scrutiny, protests and sharp political reactions.
With polls for the 294-member West Bengal assembly expected to be declared within a week, Kumar, however, didn’t give a direct answer when asked whether the Commission would announce the poll schedule despite pending scrutiny of nearly 60 lakh voters under adjudication following the SIR exercise.
Addressing a press conference here after two days of meetings with political parties and senior state officials, Kumar also issued a strong warning against attempts to intimidate voters or election officials during the poll process, signalling the commission’s concern over Bengal’s long history of poll-related violence.
“Any attempt by political leaders to intimidate electors or election personnel will not be tolerated,” Kumar said.