Amid 'SIR deaths', officials say Phase-2 easier than Bihar exercise

NEW DELHI: Amid attempts to nexus the deaths oregon alleged suicides by booth-level officers (BLOs), peculiarly successful West Bengal, to "pressure" of enactment related to the peculiar intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, election-related officials pointed retired that Phase-2 of the workout was progressing astatine a overmuch much relaxed gait than Phase-1, which was exclusive to Bihar.An serviceman said portion the organisation of enumeration forms was completed successful 4 days successful Bihar, it stretched for 10 days successful Phase-2 crossed 12 states and UTs. While states similar West Bengal person seen a dependable procession of alleged SIR-related suicides and complaints of enactment pressure, reports of immoderate deaths person besides been received from Gujarat, Rajasthan and MP. On the different hand, enactment is connected seamlessly successful different states/UTs.

For instance, a differently-abled BLO successful Rajasthan, Babulal, has already completed 100% digitisation of enumeration forms, arsenic has pistillate BLO Jyoti Pawar successful Madhya Pradesh's Nepanagar assembly constituency. Even reports from Left-led Kerala suggest bully participation.Officers pointed retired that the digitisation of enumeration forms successful SIR's Phase-2 was, connected an average, progressing astatine a comfy pace, with each BLO completing astir 50-60 forms a day.

"Around 40% forms were digitised successful the 10 days from Nov 14-23, and astatine this dependable rate, the task looks achievable by the Dec 4 deadline. Besides, adjacent if eligible electors bash not amusement up successful the draught list, they person clip until Feb 7 to get added to the last roll," said the officer.The serviceman added that implicit 450 BLOs were suspended successful Bihar for not doing their work properly. "But determination were nary suicides," helium said.It whitethorn besides bash good to verify whether the BLOs are so being subjected to pressures that whitethorn beryllium driving them to termination oregon causing their deaths.

"It whitethorn perchance beryllium related to different reasons, including governmental pressure, a wellness contented oregon household reasons. For instance, the termination by a pistillate BLO successful Nadia. Though the West Bengal main electoral serviceman has sought a study from the territory magistrate, the crushed for decease tin lone beryllium established based connected the postmortem report; successful lawsuit a termination oregon execution is confirmed, an FIR volition follow," helium said."The termination enactment volition past beryllium sent for forensic investigation to found its authenticity. Calling it a termination astatine this juncture is premature. Even if it does crook retired to beryllium decease portion discharging duty, the rules necessitate the kin to beryllium compensated," helium said.