Mamata Banerjee Slams ECI over Delayed Release of Updated Poll Panel List
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) for not making the first supplementary list of the electoral rolls public, calling it a “murder of democracy”. The move has sparked concerns over the potential disenfranchisement of hundreds of thousands of eligible voters in the state.
The first supplementary list is part of the Summary Electoral Rolls (SIR) that the ECI publishes periodically to update the electoral rolls. According to sources, the latest SIR had been prepared by the West Bengal chief electoral officer but has yet to be released by the ECI. Banerjee has accused the ECI of deliberately delaying the release of the list, which contains the names of new voters who have been added to the electoral rolls.
As per reports, the non-availability of the list has resulted in an estimated 14.5 lakh people not being able to exercise their right to vote in the last assembly elections. These individuals were either excluded from the electoral rolls or were unable to vote due to errors in their voter ID cards. Banerjee has warned that if the ECI fails to release the list, it would be taken as an “arbitrary exercise of power” by the government.
The delay in releasing the list has also affected voters in other states, with around 4.3 lakh individuals unable to vote in the last assembly elections. This has raised concerns over the potential for voter suppression and has sparked calls for transparency and accountability from the ECI. Banerjee has demanded that the ECI take immediate action to address this issue and release the list without further delay.
The ECI has yet to respond to Banerjee’s concerns and allegations, sparking speculation over the reasons behind the delay. Banerjee has vowed to take further action if the list is not released soon, including seeking answers from the ECI on this matter. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the ECI will respond to Banerjee’s demands for transparency and accountability.
In a related development, the West Bengal government has written to the ECI seeking clarification on the reasons behind the delay in releasing the list. The state government has also sought the release of the list, which it claims is essential for the smooth conduct of future elections.
As the matter continues to be investigated, it is clear that the non-availability of the list has
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