Leaders from the Left Front concluded a 24-hour dharna outside the Election Commission office in Kolkata on Thursday, following a meeting with the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal regarding alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. Veteran CPI(M) leader Biman Bose emphasized that Assembly elections would not be permitted until the Election Commission addresses over 60 lakh adjudication cases concerning voters currently evaluated by judicial officers across West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand.
Bose made it clear that although they are ending their dharna, their struggle will persist. “If a single genuine voter is left out of the final electoral list, we will not allow Assembly elections to be held in West Bengal,” he stated. The Left Front leaders had initially gathered outside the CEO’s office to present their concerns regarding the SIR exercise. Following the CEO’s refusal to meet the delegation, they resorted to a night-long protest.
Biman Bose, at 85 years old, alongside other prominent leaders such as Md Salim and Sujan Chakraborty, led the protest. They expressed frustrations over police intervention, alleging that officers attempted to forcibly disperse the assembled group. Salim highlighted a perceived double standard in how the police have treated protests, citing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s earlier dharna against the SIR as evidence of biased enforcement.
The Left Front leaders accused the Election Commission of collaborating with the BJP and RSS to remove the names of vulnerable demographics, including Muslims, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women, from the electoral list during the SIR process. Salim claimed that this tactic was an orchestrated effort that undermines the electoral system, suggesting that decisions regarding assembly seats are influenced by religion and region.
The protest received support from various political factions, including the Samajwadi Party and other smaller groups. Additionally, Mostari Banu, who filed a Supreme Court petition challenging the SIR, participated in the dharna, demonstrating a united opposition to the electoral roll discrepancies.
In a related development, Indian Secular Front (ISF) leader Naushad Siddiqui met CEO Manoj Agarwal on Thursday, echoing the call for the swift resolution of the ongoing adjudication cases. Additionally, suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir, who has launched a new political entity called the Janata Unnayan Party, also approached the CEO with similar demands.
This collective action highlights the ongoing political tensions in West Bengal and underscores the commitment of various parties to ensure electoral integrity as they challenge perceived injustices within the election process. The resilience of these leaders and their supporters signals a vigorous attempt to protect voting rights ahead of upcoming elections.