BLO under scrutiny after dual entries found in electoral rolls in Bengal’s Barasat

Kolkata, Dec 3 A fresh row has erupted in West Bengal’s Barasat after residents found that a Booth Level Officer (BLO) was listed as a voter in two separate booths at the same time.

The BLO, identified as Manas Haldar, is assigned to booth number 9 of Chhota Jagulia Panchayat under Barasat Block I, yet his name appears in the rolls of another booth in the same Assembly segment.

The finding led to unrest in the Bamanpara area of Chhota Jagulia Panchayat, where locals expressed disbelief over the irregularity.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already taken the issue to the local Block Development Officer (BDO) and questioned the fairness of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in the state.

Manas Haldar, however, said that his name had been shifted from one booth to another, although it continued to appear in both lists for the time being.

BDO Rajiv Dutta Chowdhury confirmed that a complaint had been filed. "A complaint has been received in this regard. We are looking into this," the BDO said.

Several complaints have been raised about the conduct of a section of BLOs since the SIR process began in West Bengal. There have been past allegations of enumeration forms being handed out casually at roadside stalls or even from the homes of ruling party leaders.

Haldar, a resident of Bamanpara, is recorded as a voter in booths 28 and 29 of the 119-Barasat Assembly constituency. In both entries, the father’s name is listed as Sudhanshu Haldar, leaving no scope for mistaken identity.

BJP’s Barasat mandal president Swarup Saha said, "The person whose responsibility is to find out fake voters has his name in two places in the voter list. Manas Haldar has been given the responsibility of BLO of that booth. This is an act outside the rules of the commission. We want names to be registered in the voter list with transparency."

Amal Das, head of the Trinamool-run Chhota Jagulia Gram Panchayat, said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had already called for a clean and accurate voter list.

“If the name appears in two places, the SIR will ensure it remains where the permanent residence is. It will be removed from the other location,” he said.

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