NDA backs SIR in West Bengal, Oppn asks ECI to adopt transparent system as poll panel begins training of officers

New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday began training poll officers in West Bengal as part of preparations for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

According to officials from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata, the training commenced with a virtual meeting at 2 P.M. that was attended by all personnel who will be engaged in the upcoming SIR process.

The exercise follows the SIR in Bihar, which comes ahead of the state's Assembly elections later this year. West Bengal, meanwhile, is slated to go to the polls in 2026.

The SIR process has triggered strong protests from the Opposition, which even moved the Supreme Court against it. On Monday, the apex court observed that it would cancel the SIR in Bihar if any illegality was found in the methodology adopted by the Election Commission.

Reacting to the controversy, BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS, "There has been irregularity in the inclusion of illegal voters, and a review is necessary. This is essential for democracy and for the genuine voters as well."

Echoing the sentiment, Uttar Pradesh Minister Anil Rajbhar said, "We welcome and applaud this initiative by the Election Commission. This is not the first time; it is being done for the 11th time in the country. If the Election Commission wants to ensure that only Indian citizens vote and no Bangladeshi, Rohingya, or infiltrator can cast a vote, no one should have any objection."

"The Opposition should now stop making accusations against the Election Commission," he added.

Bihar Minister Santosh Kumar Singh also supported the move.

Speaking to IANS, he said, "Prime Minister Modi has guaranteed the protection of every citizen's rights in India. We and the entire country's 1.4 billion citizens trust that as long as the Modi government is in Delhi and Nitish Kumar's government is in Bihar, no Bihar voter can be deprived of voting."

"Similarly, there should be an SIR in West Bengal also. It should be done everywhere. It is not the first time that the SIR has happened. Bogus voters should be removed from across the nation," the Bihar Minister added.

However, the Opposition has stayed firm on its objections.

Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Surendra Rajput told IANS, "It is good to have SIR, but the provision made in SIR should now include Aadhaar, whether it is in Bengal or anywhere in the country. There is no opposition to SIR, but in the name of SIR, the votes of backwards, Dalits, tribals, women, youth, and farmers should not be cut."

"Votes of living people should not be cut, and votes of dead people associated with the BJP should not be added. It would be better if there were a completely transparent system for this thing," he added.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh went further, alleging collusion between the ECI and the BJP.

"I can tell you about UP. In Mahoba, out of 16,000 votes in the village, 4272 votes were found in one house. So you can understand how the Central Election Commission is committing fraud on a large scale in connivance with the Bharatiya Janata Party," he said.

Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand also raised questions over the timing of the exercise.

"The question is, why did the Election Commission conduct SIR only before the Bihar elections. Before this, elections were held in Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana. Where was the Election Commission then?" Chaand told IANS.

"That is why every time the BJP wants to fight elections in a new way...We hope that the honourable Supreme Court will definitely give a historic decision on SIR," he said.

--IANS

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