The CPM is likely to move court on the fate of the 45 lakh voters whose status as voters is yet to be determined in the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls.
“Those who cannot prepare a complete, clean voters list, how can they be entrusted to hold free and fair elections? We had raised the issue of SIR before the full bench of the Election Commission. They did not answer. We are consulting our legal experts and will knock the doors of the court on the names pending under adjudication,” Mohammad Salim, the CPM state secretary informed the media in Calcutta soon after the EC announced the poll dates for Bengal on Sunday.
Bengal will go to polls on April 23 and 29 while the counting will be held on May 4.
The final voters list published by the commission on February 28 had put the total state electors at 6.44 crore, while another 60 lakh voters were kept under adjudication.
On the instructions of the Supreme Court, judges from Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha have been working on disposing of the cases. Till Friday evening, around 45 lakh of cases were still pending. The commission is yet to issue the supplementary list to the final voters list with the names of those who have been cleared, as instructed by the apex court.
“When the final electoral rolls were announced on February 28, there were 6.44 crore voters in Bengal. As and when the judicial officers clear the voters marked under adjudication whatever supplementary lists required shall be added,” the CEC said addressing the news conference.
The CPM has also flagged the issue of potential candidates whose names might be under the adjudicated list.
“That means they will not be able to contest the polls. This exercise is not only impacting their right to vote but also their right to contest polls. How can the elections be held with such a large number of voters marked doubtful or under adjudication,” said Salim.
A bunch of SIR-related petitions are pending with the Supreme Court. On the instructions of the SC over 500 judicial officers have been delegated to decide on the status of over 60-lakh voters.
CPI leader D. Raja said the commission is constitutionally mandated to conduct free and fair elections and ensure a level playing field for all political parties.
“This fairness has been visibly absent for some time now. The five states going to Assembly elections in April are politically crucial. The removal of voters through SIR of electoral rolls has already created a serious impression of unfairness in the electoral process,” Raja said.
The BJP and the Congress leaders in Bengal were unavailable for comment.
Trinamool spokesperson and junior minister for finance and health Chandrima Bhattacharya said they were confident no legitimate voter will be left out.
“We have faith in the judiciary,” the minister told The Telegraph Online.
Bengal BJP leader Shishir Bajoria said the task may seem daunting but is achievable.
“There are over 500 judicial officers and if they can dispose of two lakh cases daily then the exercise can be completed by April 4. The last date of filing of nominations for the first phase is April 6. For the 152 Assembly seats in the first phase itself there is enough time to add or correct the voters list,” Bajoria told The Telegraph Online.