West Bengal poll chaos: Villagers hold SIR officers ‘hostage’, EC asks NIA to probe case | India News
The Election Commission on Thursday handed over the investigation into the encirclement of judicial officers in the Special Intensive Review (SIR) case in West Bengal’s Malda. National Investigation Agency (NIA).An NIA team is expected to reach the polling station on Friday to start an investigation, an election agency spokesperson said.
“…In this regard, I am directed to request that necessary enquiry/inquiry be conducted in this matter and a preliminary inquiry report be submitted directly to the Hon’ble Court as directed above,” the EC told the NIA DG through a letter. The Supreme Court on Thursday criticized the West Bengal administration for its “total failure” and inaction on the “sad” siege and attack on seven judicial officials in Malda district during the electoral roll revision drive.The court directed that the incident be investigated by the CBI or the NIA and ordered the deployment of central forces in the state.There was a strong reaction in Malda following reports that officials, including three women, had detained a group of voters whose names had been omitted from the voter list.The court observed that it was the duty of the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to inform the Election Commission and deploy central forces to ensure the security of judicial officers. It allowed the Election Commission to request a CBI or NIA probe.The incident took place during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. Seven judicial officers, including three women, were surrounded and held hostage by protesters for several hours.The protest started outside the Kaliachak II Block Development Office when a group of people demanded a meeting with the officers, officials said. After they were denied entry, the mob started protesting around 4.00 pm and later blockaded the premises, the protest continued till late night.After the incident West Bengal Chief Minister Md Mamata Banerjee The Bharatiya Janata Party has been accused of trying to cancel the West Bengal elections and impose President’s rule in the state.At a rally in Sagardighi, he also criticized the Election Commission for failing to maintain law and order.Voting for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, while the counting of votes will take place on May 4.In the 2021 assembly elections, held in eight phases, the Trinamool Congress won 213 seats in a decisive victory over the BJP, which won 77 seats. Congress and Left Front did not get any seats in that election.
