The Election Commission has decided to engage central government employees as micro-observers at all centres, where hearing and verification of voters who could not link themselves with the 2002 voters or have been termed suspicious, will be conducted.
“Initially, it was decided that CCTV cameras would be installed at the centres where the hearings would be conducted. But considering the fact that CCTV cameras could have some limitations in monitoring the exercise, micro-observers will be appointed. Employees of banks, post offices, LIC, Coal India and Income Tax will be engaged as micro-observers to keep an eye on the exercise that will start in the next seven days,” said an EC official.
According to sources, the hearing and verification will be conducted by 3,069 assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) across Bengal. The micro-observers will be appointed for each of the hearing centres. It is assumed that about one crore people could be called for the hearing and the verification of their documents.
About 32 lakh unmapped electors could not establish any link with the 2002 post-SIR (special intensive revision) rolls. They will be called for the hearing.
In addition to this, the EC flagged 1.67 crore voters as suspicious because discrepancies were detected in their enumeration forms. A large number of them could be called in to show the required documents. Besides, the hearing for the new voters will be conducted at the same time.
“The micro-observers will monitor each of the cases called for hearing and verification and send a report to the EC. Along with the documents to be uploaded by the AEROs after hearing, the EC will also go through the report of the micro observers before publishing the final roll, only to ensure that no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible name is included in the voter list,” said an official.
The decision to engage micro observers was taken after the poll panel considered that the Bengal government officials who carried out the enumeration process in the state had to work under tremendous political pressure. It was evident, the EC felt, when a huge number of enumeration forms with severe discrepancies were uploaded.
“Had the officials been allowed to work freely, so many of the discrepancies would have definitely attracted their attention. It gives a clear hint that the officers were under pressure from political parties to upload the suspicious forms. A similar situation will have to be averted during the hearing, as there will be pressure to include ineligible names in the list,” said a source.
As the micro-observers would be central government employees, there would be a lesser chance of putting pressure on them. They could play an important role by sending reports to the EC on a day-to-day basis from each hearing centre.
The chief electoral officer (CEO)’s office in Calcutta sent a letter to the EC on Tuesday, urging the poll panel to allow the AEROs to dispose of cases after conducting hearings of voters who would be called in.
“In Bihar, the EROs were the authorities to dispose of cases after hearing. But the situation in Bengal is different, as so many people could be called in for a hearing. If the EROs remain the authorities, it would be tough for them to dispose of each of the cases,” said a source.
Each Assembly segment has 10 AEROs on average, whereas there are only 294 EROs — one each for each constituency.
“If AEROs are allowed to dispose of cases following hearing and verification of documents, many more cases could be disposed of every day,” said a senior official.