WB assembly LoP Suvendhu Adhikari criticises violation of EC guidelines amid SIR
KOLKATA: BJP MLA and West Bengal assembly’s leader of opposition Suvendhu Adhikari on Saturday condemned the alleged violation of guidelines set by the Election Commission of India (ECI) after the additional chief electoral officer of the state flagged the use of contractual staff for data entry for the draft electoral roll amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Posting about the alleged violation, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader called for “immediate attention” and urged people to widely share the information so the public could remain vigilant. “This directive from the ECI demands immediate attention. The ECI guidelines are crystal clear – Contractual Data Entry Operators, Contractual Staff, BSK Staff, or any such personnel cannot be involved in Data Entry work for the ongoing SIR. This information needs to be shared so that the Public remain vigilant regarding any violation,” Adhikari posted on X, while sharing the contact info for reporting any other violation to the poll body.According to the additional chief electoral officer in West Bengal, “contractual data entry operators, contractual staff, BSK staff etc., cannot be used for data entry works for the ongoing SIR 2026.”Accordingly, the Additional CEO has called for appropriate action to be initiated against the Block Development Officers (BDO)/Electoral Registration Officer (ERO)/ Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) who hired such staff. The ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal has faced opposition from the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), making it a contentious issue ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. The TMC has alleged that the officers tasked with carrying out the exercise have not received proper training, equipment, or facilities due to the “unplanned and chaotic” manner in which it is being carried out.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday expressed serious concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, urging the Election Commission to intervene immediately.Sharing her previous letter on X addressed to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Banerjee described the SIR exercise as “unplanned, chaotic and dangerous.”The letter reads, “I have time and again flagged my serious concerns in respect of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the way it has been thrust upon the people. Now, I am compelled to write to you as the situation surrounding the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has reached a deeply alarming stage. The manner in which this exercise is being forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous. The absence of even basic preparedness, adequate planning or clear communication has crippled the process from day one.”CM Banerjee highlighted the excessive workload and pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs), who are struggling with online data entry, server issues, and inadequate training, risking inaccurate voter data.
