Bengal SIR: EC warns of action if voters aged 85 and above called for hearings

KOLKATA: If immoderate elector aged 85 oregon above, oregon immoderate sick oregon disabled elector, is summoned for an SIR hearing, strict enactment volition beryllium taken against the BLO and BLO supervisor concerned, a elder EC authoritative said connected Thursday. TOI had earlier reported respective times astir the symptom and distress of aged and sick voters lasting successful agelong queues. On Dec 29, successful an acquisition to each territory electoral officers (DEOs) and DMs, the bureau of Bengal's main electoral serviceman (CEO) said voters aged 85 years oregon above, the sick, and persons with disabilities who marque a circumstantial petition should not beryllium called for hearings. If notices person already been issued, they should beryllium contacted by telephone and asked not to attend, with verification to beryllium carried retired astatine their residences, it added. Despite the instruction, the CEO's bureau received respective reports from crossed the authorities wherever these categories of voters and large women were asked to personally look for SIR-related hearings. "We told DEOs that if a azygous incidental happens successful usurpation of instruction, BLOs volition look action. What are the BLO supervisors doing? Why does anybody with a breached limb oregon a superior unwellness sojourn the proceeding venues? BLOs volition marque door-to-door visits and instrumentality enactment of specified electors. Hearings of these electors volition instrumentality spot successful their houses successful past week of the proceeding process," the authoritative said, adding that specified incidents tarnished the EC's image.