West Bengal CEO seeks report on 'inclusion' of Trinamool office bearer in BLOs list

Kolkata, Oct 26 (IANS) The office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, has sought a report in connection with the alleged inclusion of a Trinamool Congress office bearer in the list of booth-level officers (BLOs) under Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.

Sources in the CEO's office said that a detailed report into the matter was sought after the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, had sought the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the inclusion of the ruling party office bearers in the BLO lists by highlighting the example in the case of Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency.

According to information provided by the leader of the opposition, the concerned BLO is Md. Alauddin Molla, and his name is in the list of BLOs for Diamond Harbour constituency in South 24 Paraganas.

Adhikari has pointed out that the same person is one of the area presidents of the ruling party, and his wife Liala Bibi is an elected Trinamool Congress panchayat member from block number two of Diamond Harbour.

After Suvendu Adhikari highlighted the matter on Saturday, West Bengal CEO Agarwal sought a detailed report from the South 24 Parganas district magistrate, who is also the District Election Officer.

On Saturday, Adhikari had also cautioned that if such politically-affiliated persons continue to be on the BLOs' list, there is every possibility that they might "manipulate" the electoral process.

The selection of BLOs in West Bengal had been shrouded in controversy since the beginning. First, the allegations were that contractual state government employees and para-teachers were included as BLOs, bypassing the ECI's mandate that permanent state government employees and permanent teachers attached to state-run schools should be considered for selection as BLOs.

There had also been complaints about irregularities in the selection of electoral registration officers (EROs). While the commission has mandated that only West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre officers in the ranks of sub-divisional officers or sub-divisional magistrates, or rural development officers would be selected as EROs, there were allegations that officers below such ranks were included in the list of EROs.

--IANS

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