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A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi asked the Election Commission to take serious note of the lack of cooperation by various state governments in the work of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
“The issues of lack of cooperation, obstruction in the work of BLOs should be brought to our notice and we will pass appropriate orders,” the bench told senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Election Commission (EC).
Dwivedi said if the situation worsens, the Election Commission will have no option but to take the police under its deputation, which comes under the jurisdiction of the state government.
Justice Bagchi said that the Election Commission cannot take the police under its jurisdiction until the election process begins.
Dwivedi said the Election Commission has all constitutional powers to deal with incidents of intimidation of BLOs and other officers engaged in SIR work.
Describing the situation as “very serious”, Justice Kant told Dwivedi to “deal with the situation, otherwise it will lead to anarchy.”
Dwivedi said that there is no question of BLOs being driven to commit suicide due to the tension in West Bengal as they have to do the counting of six-seven houses of 30-35 voters.
Justice Bagchi said that this is not a desk job and the BLOs will have to go door-to-door and fill the enumeration form and then upload it.
“It is not as simple as it appears,” Justice Bagchi said.
Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for petitioner Sanatani Sangh and others, said that the petitioners have alleged violence and intimidation against the BLOs and other officers engaged in SIR work and have sought directions to the Election Commission for their safety.