Kolkata, 13 December (H.S.) :
Special Roll Observers (SROs) appointed for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal have expressed concerns over their security while on field duty, requesting protection from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The observers, appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI), have formally conveyed their demand for central security cover to ensure their safety.
A senior official from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said on Saturday that a formal request regarding this matter has been sent to the ECI headquarters in New Delhi.
The observers further suggested that if CAPF deployment is not feasible, they be granted magistrate-level authority. This would allow the accompanying security personnel to follow their directives while the state police would continue to manage their overall protection arrangements. Both these alternative proposals have been forwarded to the ECI headquarters for consideration.
The security concerns come in the wake of an incident on Thursday in South 24 Parganas, where SRO C. Murugan faced protests while monitoring the SIR exercise in Falta. Female supporters of the Trinamool Congress reportedly confronted the observer during the exercise.
Additionally, the observers have requested the ECI to review comments made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during an SIR opposition rally held in Krishnanagar, Nadia district. The observers alleged that the Chief Minister, in her speech, incited female voters against officials involved in the voter list revision.
During the rally, the Chief Minister reportedly urged women to be prepared with kitchen utensils in case names were removed from the voter list and encouraged them to step forward while men supported from behind. She also raised a rhetorical question comparing the strength of the Bharatiya Janata Party and that of mothers and sisters.
This development highlights the growing concerns over security for officials conducting voter list revisions in politically sensitive areas of West Bengal.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
