Bengal SIR hearings to proceed without BLAs as EC acts against alleged TMC interference

The Election Commission has taken a firm stance against political interference in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearings of the voter list in West Bengal. The Commission has instructed the state Chief Electoral Officer to ensure that no booth-level agents or political party representatives are present during the hearings.

The directive comes amid allegations that hearing sessions in Hooghly and Cooch Behar districts were disrupted by three Trinamool Congress legislators, including a senior cabinet minister. Reports claim the legislators demanded the presence of their party’s booth-level agents in the hearing rooms, leading to disputes and suspension of sessions.

A senior official from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office said the Commission’s instructions emphasized maintaining impartiality, neutrality, and transparency during the hearings. Any attempt to forcibly stop or interfere with a session must be immediately acted upon by district officers and election authorities.

Earlier, the Election Commission had rejected the Trinamool Congress’s request to allow its booth-level agents in voter list hearings. The Commission noted that granting such permission to one party would require the same for all registered political parties, making the process practically unmanageable.

Officials explained that allowing multiple party agents could result in nearly 11 people at a single hearing table, including officers and observers, making it impossible to conduct hearings effectively. The Commission’s strict measures aim to ensure that the SIR hearings continue smoothly and fairly across the state.