The hearing of voters commenced in Bengal on Friday, and the Election Commission has decided to thoroughly scrutinise three documents — residential certificates, birth certificates and caste certificates — after it received complaints that people were getting those testimonials done ahead of the hearing exercise.
"Three documents — residential certificates, birth certificates and caste certificates — are in demand these days as many voters are desperate to get these ahead of the hearing phase. As the local bodies could issue temporary residential certificates and birth certificates, officials have to verify these documents thoroughly. The caste certificates would also be checked properly as allegations about forged documents are doing the rounds," said a senior poll panel official.
Sources said that the decision to check those documents carefully was taken after the EC had received complaints that the ruling party-led local bodies were issuing birth certificates and residential certificates randomly after the top Trinamool Congress leaders had declared that state government agencies would help voters get the required papers.
Sources on the poll panel said officials, who would participate in the hearing, had been told that only permanent residential certificates (PRC) would be accepted. The PRC can only be issued by district magistrates and subdivisional officers (SDOs), and no other certificates should be considered during the hearing phase.
"The local bodies can issue temporary residential certificates to a citizen, but it would not be considered a valid document to get the names included in the final electoral rolls. Moreover, if it is found that any officer in the rank of DM or SDO has given PRC based on temporary certificates issued by the local bodies without following due procedure, stern measures will be initiated against such officers," said another official.
The sources also said that a section of voters, who apprehended that they could be called for the hearing, were queuing up for birth certificates from local bodies.
"Since the ruling party had announced to issue certificates to voters, some of the local bodies could be forced to issue those randomly. The officials would check birth certificates thoroughly and send the same for verification to the issuing authorities. Since the issuing authorities are dominated by the ruling party, all certificates will have to be checked thoroughly. These should be verified with the birth registrars kept at the district headquarters," said a source.
In case of caste certificates, the issuing authority is the SDO, and they would have to verify them.
"If any discrepancy is found, the poll panel would not hesitate to initiate stern measures against the officials," the source added.
Repeated complaints were lodged by political parties, alleging that Trinamool-controlled local bodies were issuing such certificates indiscriminately. Additionally, the ruling party was allegedly pressuring government officials to issue PRC or caste certificates to voters if they so desired.
"We have taken up the issue with the EC. These three documents could be forged as the Trinamool Congress was leaving no stone unturned to enrol ineligible voters in the voter list. If these documents are not checked properly, error-free electoral rolls would be a distant dream," said Jagannath Chattopadhyay, a general secretary of the state BJP.
The EC sources have said that micro-observers, who are central government employees, have been briefed on how to verify documents during the hearing.
"They have also been told that these three documents will have to be checked thoroughly. As a majority of these officers are from banks and institutions like LIC, they are well versed with checking of documents," said a source.