Anticipating SIR fallout, Bengal Police step up security ahead of Dec 9 draft list

Kolkata: The West Bengal Police Directorate has mandated all police stations under the jurisdiction of Kolkata Police and other police commissionerates to adopt enhanced security measures in anticipation of potential law and order deterioration following the publication of the draft voters’ list on December 9.

The directive comes at the conclusion of the first phase of the three-stage Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had earlier expressed a similar apprehension while addressing a mega ‘anti-SIR’ rally in Bangaon in North 24 Parganas district on November 25, stating there would be ‘terrible chaos’ after the publication of the electoral rolls.

“After the draft list is published, there will be terrible chaos. I can realise this now. The booth-level officers are struggling to upload the enumeration forms on the BLO app because of poor internet connectivity. Errors occur often while uploading. I have been told that Artificial Intelligence is being used in the SIR process, and this is being done to replace genuine voters with false ones,” she had alleged in the rally.

A state police source confirmed that the Police Directorate shares the Chief Minister’s apprehension regarding widespread tension if a large number of genuine voters’ names are deleted from the list. “The police stations have been alerted in advance to take necessary precautions to resist any possible deterioration in the law and order situation following the publication of the draft voters’ list on December 9,” the official said.