The vehicle of the Election Commission’s special roll observer (SRO), C. Murugan, was damaged on Monday after an agitating crowd gheraoed the poll official during his visit to a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing centre in Magrahat, South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
According to an Election Commission official, Murugan had gone to Sirakol High School to check the ongoing hearing process when a group of protesters blocked the exit route of his vehicle. Most of those protesting were women.
A video of the incident, shared by a source in the EC, showed agitators thumping the car’s bonnet and window glasses while police personnel attempted to form a cordon and clear the way.
Later, the door handle on the driver’s side was found nearly ripped off. Murugan was first gheraoed when he arrived at the school, where protesters alleged “unplanned implementation” of the SIR exercise.
They claimed that ill, aged and pregnant voters were being “forced to appear” at hearing sessions.
Following the attack on Murugan, the leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari questioned the chief election commissioner.
“If you are unable to extend protection to the officers who are entrusted with duties assigned by you and are attacked while performing their duties by going to the field and sitting in the comfort of their own office, then how do you plant to conduct free and fair elections in West Bengal where radical elements of the Trinamool are roaming free?” asked Suvendu.
Suvendu said the attack on the IAS officer was not the assault on any one individual.
“It’s a direct assault on our democracy, our Constitution, and every voter who dares to dream of free and fair elections,” Suvendu said.
Eyewitnesses said the protest was led by TMC-run Zilla Parishad president Mujibar Rahaman Mollah, who demanded that the party’s Booth Level Agents-2 (BLA2) be allowed entry during the hearings.
“It wasn't a political agitation. It was a protest of ordinary people, people with physical disabilities, sickness, elderly indisposed citizens and even pregnant women, who are being tortured by the EC in the name of conducting hearings. I was only present to support their demands and also ask that our BLAs be allowed to remain at the hearings to ensure valid voters don't get disqualified,” Rahaman said.
Suvendu reminded the former BJP national president JP Nadda was allegedly assaulted at Mograhat in 2020.
“Under Mamata Banerjee’s watch, Bengal has become a jungle where officials performing constitutional duties are hunted like prey. This was a premeditated ambush by her foot soldiers, led by local Trinamool leaders like Zilla Parishad member who mobilised the mob,” Suvendu said.
The Election Commission had stated at the hearing no representatives of any political party will be allowed.
The hearings will be held in the presence of the booth level officer (BLO), the assistant electoral registration officer (AERO), district election officer, micro-observers and observers.
The situation escalated again when Murugan attempted to leave an adjacent hearing venue. Locals surrounded his vehicle, blocking its movement. Police personnel eventually rescued the officer from the crowd.
“I am here to do a job assigned to me by the Election Commission, and I will complete that task, no matter the attempted disruptions,” the IAS officer said later. Asked about security concerns, Murugan said, “That will be for the administration to decide.”
A Commission source said requests for special police protection for the roll observer were not addressed on the ground.
Among the protesters were women who linked the SIR process to wider grievances against the Centre.
“We don't need this SIR. We don't want this Commission to torture us. We want money for the 100-days work and rural housing which the central government has stopped paying,” one woman said.
This was not the first time Murugan faced resistance during the SIR exercise. On two earlier occasions, at Falta in South 24 Parganas and at Haldarpara in Howrah district, locals had gheraoed him during similar visits.
The SIR hearings are currently being held across West Bengal to verify voters marked as ‘no mapping’. The Commission has been calling such voters to submit documents and information.
However, complaints have emerged from several areas that people are being made to wait for hours at hearing centres. At Magrahat, protesters alleged that hearings were being conducted in schools instead of through door-to-door visits.
They claimed elderly and disabled voters were receiving notices and being asked to appear in person, leading to long queues and health problems. Villagers questioned why hearings could not be conducted at home for those unable to travel.
A senior official from the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer’s office said a detailed report on Monday’s incident would be sought from the SRO and forwarded to the Election Commission.