Mamata Banerjee has raised questions on the Election Commission’s decision to hire 1,000 data entry operators and 50 software developers on a one-year contract.

“The chief electoral officer West Bengal has directed the district election officers (DEOs) not to engage contractual data entry operators and Bangla Sahayata Kendra (BSK) staff for SIR-related or other election-related data work,” Mamata wrote in a letter to chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar Monday.

Mamata has argued that the district administrations in the state are equipped with trained personnel for the day-to-day operations.

“District offices already have a substantial number of competent professionals performing-such functions, what necessitates the CEO’s initiative to outsource the same work through an external agency for a full year?” asked Mamata. “If there is an urgent need, DEOs are fully empowered to undertake such hiring themselves.”

The chief minister said the field offices have always hired their contractual data entry personnel as per requirement.

The Bengal government and the ruling Trinamool has been speaking in one voice against the “impossibility” of the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bengal.

In her previous letter to CEC Gyanesh Kumar sent Thursday, Mamata had requested for the exercise to be halted in Bengal till the booth level officers (BLOs) receive proper training and are handed the proper technological tools to carry out the exercise and prepare an error-free voters’ list.

“Traditionally, the field offices have always hired their own contractual data entry personnel as per requirement. Why, then, is the CEO’s office assuming this role on behalf of field offices?”

Mamata questioned what difference the EC expected in the output from those already engaged with the district administration and those from the agency hired by the central poll panel.

“Is this exercise being undertaken at the behest of a political party to serve vested interests? The timing and manner of this request-for-proposal certainly raise legitimate doubts,” Mamata said.

The Trinamool has several times accused the EC of colluding with the BJP to disenfranchise genuine voters in Bengal on the pretext of the SIR exercise.

The chief minister has also objected to the EC’s proposal to set up polling booths in private residential complexes. The chief minister reminded the EC that elections have been held in state-run and state-supported schools, colleges, technical institutes and in the rural constituencies in government and semi-government offices.

She asked if the EC was mulling this proposal also under external pressure.

“This proposal is deeply problematic. Polling stations have always been – and must remain – located in government or semi-government institutions, preferably within a two km radius, to ensure accessibility and neutrality,” Mamata said. “Private buildings are typically avoided for clear reasons: they compromise fairness, violate established norms and create discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public – the haves and have nots.”