Kolkata, 16 October (H.S.) - Concerns are escalating in West Bengal over the Election Commission’s upcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voters’ list, as several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) have alleged that they are being threatened to include fake names. On Thursday, a group of BLOs wrote to the state Chief Electoral Officer, requesting deployment of central security forces to ensure their safety.

BLOs affiliated with the Electoral Workers Unity Forum said they should be provided adequate security while carrying out election duties at the booth level. They pointed out that, even though the official SIR notification has not yet been issued, threats have already been reported from multiple areas.

According to Election Commission guidelines, BLOs are tasked with visiting every household in their designated areas to update and verify voter lists. Complaints indicate that they have been instructed to compulsorily include names of individuals possessing Aadhaar cards, a directive that several BLOs have objected to.

Sources revealed that in some cases, BLOs were intimidated with firearms. Such incidents were reported from areas including Gulshan Colony, Khidirpur, and Kasba in Kolkata. Allegedly, certain individuals are pressuring BLOs to fill forms solely based on Aadhaar card details.

Reacting to the situation, Union Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region, Sukanta Majumdar, said, “I had earlier expressed concern over this issue. Given the way Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has challenged the Election Commission’s decision, such a situation was bound to arise.”

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has long demanded a Special Intensive Revision to remove fake and illegal names from West Bengal’s electoral rolls. The Election Commission has already begun preparations, including training sessions with district officials and BLOs, though the official notification has not yet been issued.

Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress has strongly opposed the move, warning that if even a single legitimate voter’s name is removed, the party will launch large-scale protests across the state.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh