The Election Commission of India (ECI) in West Bengal has alerted Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) about the serious consequences of uploading incorrect identity documents during hearings on claims and objections to the draft voters’ list. Instances of significant errors have been highlighted by micro-observers appointed by the Commission.
In case of such errors, the Commission will request written explanations from the concerned EROs and AEROs regarding why disciplinary actions should not be taken against them. If unsatisfactory responses are received, the Commission will proceed with strong disciplinary measures, including possible suspension and filing of FIRs.
One incident cited in Kolkata involved an ERO listing a passport as a supporting document for a voter, while the actual document uploaded was the voter’s AADHAAR card photo. This discrepancy was termed a ‘grave and deliberate’ mistake by a CEO official, emphasizing the seriousness of such errors.
To address these issues, the ECI has modified the roles of micro-observers overseeing the verification process in West Bengal. Starting February 2, these observers will focus on ensuring that identity documents submitted by voters are accurately uploaded as per the Commission’s approved list, aiming to prevent the use of unlisted documents.
Micro-observers will now play a crucial role in verifying that only ECI-approved documents are used as identity proofs during the verification process. Their oversight will be crucial in the initial scrutiny phase, followed by a detailed review by special roll observers to detect any instances of unauthorized document uploads.
