Number of suspect booths in Bengal SIR reduces magically as EC orders scrutiny

A day after the Election Commission flagged "100% enumeration” in 2,208 booths across West Bengal and ordered detailed scrutiny, the number of such booths magically reduced tojust 480 booths.

- SUPROTIM MUKHERJEE KOLKATA

The Election Commission had said that after 23 years since the last SIR, having no deceased voters in these booths was “almost impossible”, the ECI said, while also flagging booths which had 1-10 forms submitted and had asked for reports from the District Magistrates.

The figure of 2208 booths implies that the number of deceased, absent or shifted voters reported from these booths is either nil or negligible, according to the Commission.

Since the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal took place in 2002, having no deceased voters across a period of 23 years was “almost impossible”, the Commission said, The data, therefore, is “not acceptable”, officials said.