TMC claims 40 SIR-related deaths in WB

Gujarat: BLO dies of heart attack

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

A Trinamool Congress delegation Friday alleged before the Election Commission top brass that around 40 SIR-related deaths had occurred in West Bengal so far, a charge junked by the poll authority.

The TMC delegation, which met the EC top brass, also accused Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of having "blood on his hands".

The 10-member delegation, led by TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien, met the EC officials amid the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

EC officials noted that during the meeting, the TMC leaders were told that the independence of booth-level officers should not be interfered with during the enumeration forms distribution process as part of SIR.

"EC also told the delegation of TMC not to influence or threaten the BLOs regarding dead, shifted and duplicate voters," an official later said.