Bengal SIR: Controversies over summoning celebrities baseless, says ECI
The deadline for submitting claims and objections to the draft voters’ list expires on Monday, while hearings will continue until 7 February
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday dismissed as baseless the political controversy surrounding the summoning of celebrities and prominent individuals for hearings related to claims and objections on the draft voters’ list.
The clarification came after Chandra Kumar Bose, the grandnephew of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, was recently summoned by the poll panel for a hearing, triggering political debate and questions over why he had been called.
Responding to the row, the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), West Bengal, said the summons had nothing to do with the individual’s identity or public standing. In a statement, the CEO’s office explained that the enumeration form submitted by Chandra Kumar Bose showed the “linkage” column left blank, necessitating a hearing in line with ECI norms.
“The claim is misleading. The enumeration form clearly shows that the linkage column is left blank. He has, therefore, been called for a hearing like all other similarly placed electors as per the notification of the ECI,” the statement said.
Similar controversies had earlier erupted over hearing notices issued to actor-turned-politician and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Dipak Adhikari, popularly known as Dev; former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and former Mohun Bagan football club president Swapan Sadhan Bose, also known as Tutu Bose; his son Srinjoy Bose, a former Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP and current general secretary of the iconic Kolkata football club; and Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami.
Sources in the CEO’s office said in all these cases the hearing notices were issued for the same reason — the linkage columns in the enumeration forms were left incomplete. “In each instance, the CEO’s office had to issue clarifications. Had the reasons been verified with the voters concerned, these controversies would not have arisen,” the sources said.
The deadline for submitting claims and objections to the draft voters’ list expires on Monday, while hearings will continue until 7 February. After that, the full bench of the Election Commission is scheduled to visit West Bengal, following which the ECI is expected to announce the polling dates for the state’s crucial assembly elections.
With IANS inputs