(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP), Suvendu Adhikari, has urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to initiate steps to“protect” the second phase of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) when hearings begin on appeals over draft electoral rolls.

In his letter to the ECI, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader has sought the poll body's“immediate intervention” to appoint“Micro Observers” while hearing“claims, objections and document submission” from voters for inclusion, deletion, or correction in the draft list.

He has also asked for such observers to be from among Central government employees“to maintain neutrality.”

He has cited concerns over alleged manipulation of electoral rolls by state officials, on receiving serious and consistent reports of undue influence being exercised to interfere with this phase.

Incidentally, the SIR process has become a political issue since it was rolled out this year. While the ECI insists the process is fair, Opposition parties argue it is being misused, and valid voters are being disenfranchised. The narrative around Bangladeshi infiltration adds another layer of political tension.

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress has launched multiple anti‐SIR agitations spearheaded by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

The party has raised allegations of many Booth Level Officers (BLO) frequently falling sick, even losing their life from work pressure, and about voters committing suicide in fear of losing their electoral rights.

The poll body has strongly defended the SIR process, dismissing allegations of mass disenfranchisement as politically motivated.

The Supreme Court is currently pursuing the matter where the ECI has said that claims of mass disenfranchisement in West Bengal are“highly exaggerated” and politically motivated.

It emphasised that 99 per cent of voters in the state have already been given enumeration forms.

Meanwhile, there have been reports of some Bangladeshi nationals gathered at the West Bengal border trying to go back home.

The incident, amid fears linked to the SIR exercise, has sharpened the political narrative around infiltration.

According to Adhikari, the second phase of SIR is the most crucial stage of the entire process.

“This phase will determine whether the final electoral roll is fair, accurate, and free from manipulation,” he claimed.

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