EC likely to publish SIR supplementary voter list on Monday

KOLKATA: The Election Commission is likely to publish the first supplementary voters’ list for poll-bound West Bengal on Monday evening as part of the ongoing SIR exercise, officials said.

The list will be released in the same manner as the final electoral roll, with copies sent to district election officers and subsequently displayed at polling booths across the state, they said.

“The adjudication process has been extensive, and a significant number of cases, over 27 lakh, have already been resolved after due verification. The supplementary list transparently incorporates these outcomes,” an EC official said.

These 27 lakh voters were among 60 lakh who were marked as “under adjudication” in the final voters’ list published on February 28.

“A large number of entries were kept under adjudication for further scrutiny. The supplementary list reflects the outcome of that verification process. The list will first be displayed at polling booths. It will subsequently be made available online,” the official said.

Security arrangements have also been tightened ahead of the publication of the list, he said.

“We are taking all necessary precautions to ensure that the publication process remains peaceful. Adequate security arrangements and close monitoring will be ensured in sensitive locations,” he added.

A total of 705 judicial officers have been engaged in determining inclusion or exclusion of names in the supplementary list, in line with the EC’s guidelines, the official said.

The state government, meanwhile, on Saturday directed district magistrates to take precautionary measures to maintain law and order during the publication of the supplementary list.

“Appropriate precautionary steps may be taken for crowd control, strict vigil at vulnerable points, and maintenance of law and order,” a communication from the Home and Hill Affairs Department stated.

District officials have also been asked to ensure necessary infrastructure support and inform respective superintendents and commissioners of police.

Polling for the 294-member assembly will be held on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4. (PTI)