The Hindu : National : ``Deletions of voter names far from satisfactory in West Bengal''

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 11, 2006

National

National

``Deletions of voter names far from satisfactory in West Bengal''

Legal Correspondent

It takes a serious view of failure of officials

New Delhi: The Election Commission on Friday took a serious view of the failure of West Bengal officials to delete the names of dead voters and those who shifted residence from poll rolls, despite its specific direction.

The Commission, after hearing the 19 observers, who were deputed to verify the preparation of the rolls, decided to take up the issue again with the State Government. It said the deletion work was far from satisfactory, particularly in municipal areas.

Warning of action

While warning that strict action would be taken against the officials concerned for dereliction of duty and wherever the performance was not up to the mark, the Commission said rectification of the rolls would continue even after the final publication on February 22. The Assembly elections are due in May/June.

Commission sources said the observers,who visited the State early this month brought to the EC's notice certain incidents of intimidation of persons who complained to them about the imperfections in the rolls and inaction on the part of the administration in registering first information reports and in taking immediate action against the culprits. Some observers said it took their intervention to get the FIRs registered.

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