Mamata accuses EC of deleting 8 lakh names in first supplementary list of SIR

Naxalbari, March 25: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday claimed eight lakh names have been deleted in the first supplementary list from the 27 lakh electors whose voting eligibility was adjudicated as part of the SIR exercise.
Addressing an election rally at Naxalbari in the Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district, she slammed the BJP for “causing misery” to the people by enforcing an “ill-planned SIR”.
The chief minister demanded that physical copies of the supplementary list published online be immediately made available so that the information on the deletion figure could be verified.
“Though I am not sure, I have heard that eight lakh names of 27 lakh voters under adjudication have been deleted from the first supplementary list. But where is that list? Why have hard copies of that list not yet been put up in government offices so far?” she posed.
“I can only verify the information after that list is displayed,” she added.
Stating that the “lack of transparency” over addition and deletion figures in the first supplementary list has left affected citizens in a fix over their subsequent move for redressal, Banerjee said the TMC would set up camps to aid such citizens with free legal consultancy. “Only after that list gets displayed in booths can those, whose names have been unfairly deleted, fill up application forms to move tribunals. We have to fight this according to the provisions of law, and TMC will provide legal assistance to every victim free of charge,” she declared.
The first supplementary list of 60 lakh-odd names of voters under judicial scrutiny was published by the Election Commission late on Monday night. (PTI)