SC directives on Bengal SIR exercise: Abhishek Banerjee says BJP's 'game is over'

Kolkata, Jan 19 (IANS) Reacting to the Supreme Court's directives to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in relation to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee on Monday said the BJP's "SIR game" in the state is over.

Addressing party workers in Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, Banerjee said the BJP has been defeated in court and in the days to come it will be defeated in elections.

"Today I heard that the Supreme Court has accepted AITC's demand and issued a verdict that the list of logical discrepancies must be published. As far as I know, BLA 2 will also be allowed in the hearing centre. BJP's SIR game is over. One crore names that were targeted to be struck off have been saved, and the victory belongs to the people of Bengal. Our voting rights were being threatened, but the Supreme Court has given them a firm rebuke," Banerjee said.

The Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP said that on December 21 last year, a delegation of his party members including him met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

"It was suggested in the meeting that the list of logical discrepancies be published. If they had published the list, the truth would have become clear. We mentioned that BLA 2 of AITC would be present at the hearing venue, but ECI rejected it. We stated that if the guidelines were not released, AITC would not leave the hearing centre. I am very happy today," Banerjee said.

Attacking the BJP and the Election Commission, he said: "In the coming days, they will be defeated by votes in the Assembly polls. This is not Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh or Gujarat. This land has shown the way to the freedom movement and the renaissance. We never bow our heads to outsiders. The people of Bengal do not know how to sell their spine or live in slavery."

Banerjee's remarks came after the Supreme Court on Monday issued a set of directions to the ECI to ensure that verification of persons put in the 'logical discrepancies' category as part of the SIR process in West Bengal is conducted in a transparent manner, without causing stress and inconvenience to the persons.

The Court directed the ECI to publish the list of persons to whom notices have been sent citing 'logical discrepancies' in the enumeration forms submitted by them. The lists have to be published in the panchayat/block offices.

The Court noted that about 1.25 crore notices have been sent to various persons, citing discrepancies such as mismatch in parents' names, low age gap with parents, number of progeny of the cited parents more than six etc.

The Court also clarified that persons who have received notices from the ECI will be entitled to submit their documents/objections through their authorised agents, who can be Booth Level Agents (BLAs).

The agents have to be appointed through a letter marked with a signature or thumb impression.