Will cooperate with ECI for deletion of bogus voters from Bengal’s electoral rolls: LoP

Kolkata, Oct 9 The BJP will extend full cooperation to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal in ensuring deletion of bogus voters' names, especially those of illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh, from the electoral rolls of the state, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Assembly Suvendu Adhikari told media persons on Thursday.

“As per our estimates, there are around one crore such bogus voters. Because of unfenced borders in some districts of West Bengal, illegal Bangladeshi infiltrators infiltrated and started residing in the state. In due course, they managed to get their names enrolled in the voters’ list using bogus documents. We want their names to be deleted so that the electoral rolls become free of bogus voters,” he told media persons on Thursday.

That is why, he added, the BJP, as the principal Opposition party in West Bengal, and he as the LoP, will fully cooperate with the commission in getting the names of the bogus voters deleted from the electoral rolls of the state.

“We will be watchful till the time the final list is published,” he said. Adhikari's comments come at a time when a central ECI team led by the Deputy Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Bharti, is touring the state to review the preparedness for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) here.

As indicated, the SIR is expected to start after October 15. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, questioned the practicality of the deadline, considering October is the festival month for the state.

“Is it possible to begin the SIR within this month amid the festival days? Will the Election Commission of India (ECI) operate at the behest of the BJP? Or will the commission ensure the democratic rights of the people?” the Chief Minister had questioned.

The last time the SIR was conducted in West Bengal was in 2002. The Trinamool Congress had already opposed the SIT and described it as an indirect attempt to slap the NRC in West Bengal.

The BJP said that the Chief Minister was opposing the SIR to ensure that illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators continue to remain in the voters' list.

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