'Deal with it or it will cause anarchy': SC to EC as it flags threats to BLOs

The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed concern over BLOs and other officials engaged in SIR 2.0 being “threatened” in West Bengal and other states, and asked the Election Commission to deal with the situation or “it will cause anarchy”.

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A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi also voiced concern over the alleged lack of cooperation by state governments in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and said, “What we want to ensure is that the SIR is done on the ground without any glitches.”

“Bring to our notice instances of lack of cooperation, hindrances to work of BLOs and we will pass appropriate orders,” the bench told senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the Election Commission (EC).

Dwivedi submitted, “The state governments are supposed to cooperate with us and give us protection. If the state government refuses to do so, then we have no option other than taking the local police under deputation. If the situation still does not improve, then we will have to call central forces.”

Justice Bagchi said the poll panel cannot take the police under its jurisdiction until the commencement of the election process.