New Delhi [India], December 1 : During the first day of the winter session of Parliament on Monday, Trinamool Congress MP Sagarika Ghose criticised the Centre and the Election Commission, calling for an urgent discussion on electoral reforms and the SIR.
Speaking to reporters, Ghose said, "It is a humanitarian tragedy. Forty people have lost their lives in West Bengal. BLOs are committing suicide. The Election Commission has blood on its hands."
She said the situation required immediate attention, adding, "In this situation, it is urgent that the Parliament not remain silent and discuss electoral reform, SIR, and the electoral process in our country, which is under tremendous pressure."
Ghose further accused the government of avoiding accountability on the issue. "The government is refusing to give a timeline or assurances. They are refusing to discuss this urgent matter facing the nation," she said.
She also alleged that "The unaccountable Modi government is obstructing the House by refusing to take up discussions."
Amid these allegations, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said that the increased honorarium for Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and the additional Rs 6,000 for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), approved by the poll body, had not yet been paid by the TMC government in West Bengal.
In a statement, the ECI said, "We told the AITC delegation (during the meeting on November 28) that it is very strange that the increased honorarium of Rs 12,000 per year for BLOs and an additional Rs 6,000 to BLOs for SIRs approved by the ECI has not yet been paid by the state government. This should be done without any further delay."
Earlier in August, the Commission had doubled the remuneration of BLOs from Rs 6000 to Rs 12000 and enhanced the remuneration of BLO Supervisors from Rs 12000 to Rs 18000.
It also decided to introduce honorarium for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). A press release stated, "Pure electoral rolls are the bedrock of democracy. The electoral roll machinery... plays a pivotal role in the preparation of impartial and transparent electoral rolls," adding that the Commission had "decided to double the annual remuneration for BLOs & also enhanced the remuneration of BLO Supervisors."
On Friday, a delegation of 10 Trinamool Congress MPs met Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, objecting to the ongoing SIR in West Bengal and other states.
The party claimed that the process had led to multiple deaths.
During the meeting, the TMC delegation told CEC Kumar that they have "blood on their hands," submitting a list of 40 people they said had died "because of the SIR process," according to MP Derek O'Brien.
After the meeting, O'Brien said, "10 MPs from the All India Trinamool Congress met with the Chief Election Commissioner Kumar and his team... We first handed over to him a list of almost 40 dead because of the SIR process. We started the meeting by telling him that Mr Kumar and the Election Commission of India have blood on their hands."