The Trinamool Congress on Tuesday demanded voters included in the “logical discrepancy” category for spelling mismatches not to be called for hearings in the ongoing special intensive revision of the electoral rolls and their names should not be deleted from the voters’ list.

“Categorical assurance that no elector flagged under the “logical discrepancy” category shall be deleted, and that no voter successfully mapped to the 2002 electoral rolls and having submitted requisite documents shall be disenfranchised on technical grounds,” the Trinamool wrote in a letter to the state’s chief electoral officer Manoj Agarwal.

The Trinamool said voters marked under the logical discrepancy category were being unlawfully targeted. They said the EC’s counsel in the Supreme Court hearing last week had submitted that voters with minor name mismatches and spelling errors will not be summoned for hearing.

“Contrary to these assurances, in West Bengal electors under logical discrepancy category continue to be issued notices and summoned for hearings. To date, such notices have neither been withdrawn nor have corrective measures been undertaken to resolve simple name mismatch cases, thereby leaving the alleged discrepancy unresolved.

Names of electors categorised under logical discrepancy are already reflected in the 2002 electoral rolls, which constitute the foundational reference for subsequent revisions. Their presence therein conclusively established them as long-standing and genuine voters whose electoral identity stands previously verified under law. Subjecting such electors to coercive hearings and scrutiny, despite their continued inclusion since 2002, is wholly unjustified and legally untenable,” the Trinamool said.

The Trinamool has demanded minor spelling mismatches and variations in the names of the electors marked under “logical discrepancy”, be corrected suo motu on the basis of the existing voters list and notices issued to any such voter for hearings be withdrawn.

A five-member delegation of Trinamool MPs and a minister that met Agarwal on Tuesday evening demanded immediate withdrawal of all instructions, logins and portal workflows that permit the micro-observers to “over-ride, veto or delay decisions of electoral registration officers.”

The party also demanded a written clarification from the central poll panel reaffirming that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) will continue as the sole and final authority for any changes in the electoral rolls.

“The ECINet portal itself reveals that micro-observers are reviewing cases after EROs mark voters for final publication. Even after hearings are conducted by EROs, in the presence of micro-observers, and even after DEO (district election officer) verification and ERO approval, the final authority is being exercised by micro-observers,” the Trinamool wrote in a letter to the chief electoral officer.

The Trinamool said on 4 January the EC submitted before the apex court “the role of the micro-observer is not to supersede the ERO, but to facilitate the EROs in performing their functions and maintain oversight during the SIR exercise.”

But this assurance stands completely belied by current practice, according to the Trinamool.

“District Electoral Officers (DEOs) have been directed to create lndependent Micro-Observer logins through email and enforce compliance,” the letter stated.

The Trinamool has argued that the appointment of micro-observers is without any statutory backing as the sections 13B and 14 to 23 of the Representation of Peoples Act, 1950, outlines the ERO as the “ultimate statutory authority for inclusion, exclusion and correction of entries in the electoral roll.”

The appointment of micro-observers, the Trinamool said, had diluted the statutory independence of the EROs.

The party said even after the orders of the Supreme Court, the EC continued to send instructions to the officials on poll duty via the messaging service, WhatsApp.

“Strict issuance of all SIR-related instructions only through written circulars uploaded on official portals or released publicly. Immediate cessation of unilateral, undocumented changes to ECINET workflows including adherence to the earlier classification limited to cases involving more than six progeny,” the Trinamool demanded.

The Trinamool has also demanded that any previous order that excluded land or house allotment certificates issued by the state government be immediately revoked.