The Election Commission on Wednesday conducted the training of electoral roll micro-observers who would monitor the hearing of unmapped voters from December 27.

Unmapped voters are those who could not link themselves with the 2002 electoral rolls through self or progeny mapping.

A total of around 3,500 central government officers in the Group B category and above were trained as micro-observers on Wednesday by senior EC officials, where Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal was also present.

"They will be deployed at all 3,234 hearing centres in Bengal. These micro-observers will verify documents submitted by voters called for hearing and send reports to the EC in case any discrepancy is detected during the process," said a senior official.

Sources said the input of the officials would be vital in preparing the final electoral rolls in Bengal.

"The EC will verify the documents of unmapped voters. Inputs by micro-observers will be considered seriously before taking in or leaving out any voter from the final list," said a source.

According to EC sources, micro-observers will check the entries in enumeration forms digitised by the BLOs and compare the electoral roll with the death and birth registrars as well as verify the documents submitted by voters called for hearing.

"The way the central government officials have been given responsibilities (as micro-observers), it is clear that the EC is cutting down its dependency on state government officials.... as the ruling party was opposing the SIR from day one," said an official.

"The central government employees will not be under any kind of pressure. That's why they can be the ears and eyes of the EC and flag any discrepancy noticed during the hearings," the official added.

Initially, the EC started sending hearing notices to 32 lakh unmapped electors. In the later phase, the EC will send notices to those whose enumeration forms were flagged due to logical discrepancies.

"There are about 1.67 crore voters with logical discrepancies. It is still not certain how many of them would be called for hearing. Apparently, 85 lakh voters whose enumeration forms were flagged for serious discrepancies over progeny mapping can be called for the hearing in the later phase," said a source.

Micro-observers were deployed from institutions like banks, Coal India, LIC, DVC and Customs, all posted in Bengal, a source said.

"It is not true that officers were brought from outside Bengal, they were all here, and they will work with the EC on deputation till the final rolls are published on February 14 next year," said the source.

Sources said that the EC had decided to deploy central government employees as micro-observers following a module often opted for during elections to ensure transparency. "In addition to the observers for each district, the EC often deputes micro-obeservers for a cluster of booths. This is done only to ensure that no malpractice takes place in the booths. These micro-observers are engaged from central agencies," said an official.