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Kolkata, Nov 6 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to deal strictly with cases of distribution of counting forms by third parties on behalf of booth level officers (BLOs) during the ongoing first phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, which began on November 4.
An insider in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said the decision to deal strictly with such cases was taken after such cases came to the notice of the ECI in which a relative of the BLO was distributing the counting forms on behalf of the officer concerned.
It had also come to the notice of the ECI that in such cases, the relatives distributing the enumeration forms on behalf of the concerned BLOs are active local associates of the ruling Trinamool Congress.
One such instance brought to the notice of the CEO office was about Rituparna Hazra, BLO of a booth under Daspur assembly constituency in West Midnapore district, who was missing from her duty of enumeration form distribution and in her place her husband, Asim Hazra, an active local Trinamool Congress leader, was acting on behalf of his wife.
An insider in the CEO’s office said, “Show cause notice has been served to the concerned BLO and in case a satisfactory reply to the notice is not received, further disciplinary action will be initiated against him as per rules.”
Sources said that some similar complaints have been received by the CEO office and investigation into such cases is also going on.
At the same time, sources said, there have also been instances where some concerned BLOs, instead of reaching the voters’ doorstep, are sitting at a particular place and asking the voters to come there to collect the enumeration forms.
The CEO office had also cautioned the BLOs to avoid such practices and work as per the ECI guidelines.
The SIR process in West Bengal is expected to be completed by March next year. Important assembly elections are to be held next year.
–IANS
Source/DPB