Grave uncertainties hover over the participation of 8,505 Group-B officers recommended by the West Bengal government in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) for the state. The Election Commission (ECI) has not yet received detailed background information about these officers from the state government as of February 11.
Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, revealed that the ECI had requested not only the pay bands of the recommended officers but also additional details for those whose Group-B officer status is uncertain. The deadline for completing the hearing sessions on claims and objections on the draft voters’ list is February 14, leaving little time for the 8,505 officers to participate.
With concerns raised about the inclusion of upper-division clerks, typists, and even a retired state government employee in the list of Group-B officers, the ECI has asked for background details from the state government and the relevant departments. The final voters’ list is set to be released on February 28, following which the ECI will visit Kolkata to assess the post-SIR situation before announcing the Assembly election dates for the state.
