Mon Nov 24 12:36:37 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale has criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process being conducted in West Bengal. Gokhale alleges the process is rushed, opaque, and causing undue stress and even death to Booth Level Officers (BLOs). He questions why SIR is being implemented so quickly in West Bengal when it wasn’t done in other states that recently held elections. He fears the SIR is a pretense to manipulate the voter list to benefit the BJP. He demands the ECI protect BLOs, safeguard voter rights, and ensure transparency in the process.

News Article:

TMC MP Accuses ECI of Rushing Voter List Revision in West Bengal, Alleges Bias

New Delhi, November 24, 2025: Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale has launched a scathing critique of the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its implementation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists in West Bengal. Gokhale alleges the process is being conducted in a hurried, haphazard, and non-transparent manner, putting undue pressure on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and potentially disenfranchising legitimate voters.

“SIR duty should not be a death sentence for BLOs,” Gokhale stated in a post on X, referencing reports of BLOs dying from exhaustion or suicide related to the demanding workload. He emphasized that while the TMC supports cleaning up the voter list, the current approach is deeply flawed.

Gokhale questioned the ECI’s urgency, pointing out that similar revisions were not carried out in Delhi, Haryana, and Maharashtra prior to their recent elections. “Why then is the ECI rushing to do it within 30 days in Bengal?” he asked.

The TMC MP further accused the ECI of potentially acting with political bias, suggesting the SIR is a “facade” to rig the system in favor of the BJP. “The way SIR is being done shows that the clear agenda is to create panic and rig the system to benefit the BJP,” he claimed.

Gokhale urged the ECI to prioritize the well-being of BLOs, protect voter rights, and ensure full transparency throughout the SIR process. He insisted that if the ECI is genuinely independent, it must act to address these concerns immediately. The ECI has yet to respond to Gokhale’s accusations.

Read More