Amid row over BLO deaths, EC says it'll meet TMC MPs Friday

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Tuesday agreed to Trinamool Congress's request for a meeting with the poll body, against the backdrop of the party attributing the recent suicides and deaths of booth level officers (BLOs) to "workload" arising out of the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) in the state, reports Bharti Jain.

Responding to the request from TMC MP Derek O'Brien for an appointment to a 10-member delegation of party MPs, the commission, in a letter addressed to party chairperson Mamata Banerjee and copied to Derek, invited the delegation - though a truncated one, comprising the TMC's 'authorised representative' and four other members - for a meeting at 11 am on Friday (Nov 28).



Mamata Banerjee had on Monday written to the CEC expressing concerns over the proposed hiring of 1,000 data entry operators by the West Bengal chief electoral officer and the EC proposal to set up polling stations in private housing complexes. “I urge you to examine these issues with utmost seriousness,” she had stated.

EC in its reply on Tuesday said it welcomes regular interaction with the political parties and sought the names of the five members proposed for the TMC delegation. The reduced strength of the delegation was however questioned by national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who asked why EC was scared to face just 10 MPs. He even dared EC to hold the meeting with the delegation in the public eye.

Derek meanwhile wrote to EC again on Tuesday, reiterating 10 names for the delegation. Interestingly, the ‘authorised representatives’ of the party — which as per EC records are Lok Sabha — Abhishek Banerjee and minister in West Bengal govt Chandrika Bhattacharya — do not figure in this list of 10.

Sources in EC said as per the rule, only the party president or “authorised representatives” as declared by the party to the commission, can nominate members of their party’s delegation for a meeting with EC.

Commission sources said it may write back to Derek pointing out this norm and request that the communication naming members of the delegation may either be sent to it by the Trinamool chairperson Mamata Banerjee or its two ‘authorised representatives’ as per EC records — Abhishek Banerjee or Chandrika Bhattacharya.

Meanwhile, as per the progress report on SIR put out by EC on Tuesday, enumeration forms (EFs) have been distributed to 99.2 per cent of the electors across 12 states and Union territories covered in Phase 2 of SIR and over 56.3 per cent forms already digitised. While Lakshadweep is far ahead, having digitised 99.3 per cent EFs, Goa leads the states with 82.7 per cent digitisation. The EF digitisation is 72.7 per cent in Rajasthan. West Bengal, where the party in office has been complaining of the pressure faced by BLOs engaged in SIR and even alleging that it is driving them to suicide, is not far behind with 70.1 per cent forms digitised as on Nov 25.

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