Police complaints lodged against CEC in Bengal over SIR 'harassment'

Complaints Filed Amid SIR Controversies

In West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, seven individuals lodged complaints at Jibantala Police Station against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

These complaints, filed on Friday, accuse the CEC of harassment during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The complainants, residents of the Canning Purba Assembly constituency, were accompanied by local Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Saokat Molla. They claim that despite submitting required documents and appearing in earlier hearings, they have been repeatedly summoned, causing undue stress.

A senior police officer confirmed receipt of the complaints and stated that they are under examination, though no FIRs have been registered yet. This development marks a sharp escalation in the SIR faceoff, with TMC leaders portraying it as targeted disenfranchisement.

Background on the Special Intensive Revision

The SIR process began in West Bengal on November 4 last year to clean up electoral rolls ahead of upcoming assembly polls.

The draft roll published on December 16 removed about 5.8 million names and flagged another 11.6 million under the 'logical discrepancy' category, sparking widespread protests. Critics argue this has led to genuine voters being unfairly targeted, especially in TMC strongholds.

The Supreme Court recently intervened, deciding to appoint judicial officers to handle claims from those in the discrepancy list. Despite this, tensions persist, with allegations of multiple summonses even for people with valid proofs like old voter lists from 2002 or family-linked enumeration forms. In Canning Purba alone, MLA Molla claims over 33,000 names were recommended for deletion in recent days.

"About 33,000 names were recommended for deletion in my constituency in the past three days. The move was aimed at disenfranchising genuine voters. Many of these people possess documents and have already attended SIR hearings," TMC legislator Saokat Molla told reporters.

Political Reactions and Broader Implications

TMC leaders have been vocal, with Molla accusing the CEC of acting as a "broker for the BJP" and conspiring to reduce minority voters, claiming nearly 90 percent of affected names in his area belong to the Muslim community.

BJP representatives have countered sharply, questioning how deletion lists could be known before official publication and reminding that FIRs against the Election Commission head are unlikely. Separately, a tragic incident in Purulia district saw an elderly man, Durjan Majhi, die by suicide, allegedly due to fear of an SIR hearing; his family filed a complaint against the CEC and state Chief Electoral Officer for mental harassment and abetment.

TMC has escalated protests, bringing affected families to Delhi and clashing with police near Bengal Bhavan. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has labeled the CEC a "great liar" and alleged BJP influence on the process. The Election Commission has hit back, seeking action against TMC MLAs for vandalism and threats. This row threatens to overshadow preparations for the polls, raising questions about electoral integrity and fairness in voter verification.

As investigations into the complaints proceed, the SIR continues to divide opinions, with authorities defending it as necessary housekeeping while opposition cries foul over voter suppression tactics.

In summary, the police complaints against CEC Gyanesh Kumar highlight deepening rifts over West Bengal's SIR, blending harassment allegations, political finger-pointing, and judicial oversight amid high-stakes elections.