Bengal: TMC MLA halts SIR hearings in Hooghly, demands inclusion of party BLAs

Kolkata, Dec 30 (PTI) A day after halting SIR hearings at the Chinsurah–Mogra block office in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, Trinamool Congress MLA Asit Mazumdar on Tuesday again stopped proceedings at the Polba Block Development Officer (BDO) office, demanding the inclusion of party booth-level agents (BLA-2s).

Mazumdar interrupted the proceedings and demanded a written assurance that BLAs would not be excluded.

"If Trinamool's BLAs are not present, the hearing will not be allowed to take place," Mazumdar said.

"BLA-2s are being prevented from entering the hearing venue as per the Election Commission's directive," a poll panel official present at the venue told PTI.

The TMC MLA, however, challenged the claim and demanded documentary proof.

"Show the written order," the Trinamool MLA was quoted as saying, insisting that the hearing could not continue without clarity on the instructions.

Following the standoff, the SIR hearing was halted, the official confirmed.

The incident has triggered fresh political reactions, with opposition parties accusing the ruling party of interfering in an administrative process, while election authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the disruption.

On Monday, Mazumdar had halted hearings at the block office for three Assembly constituencies, maintaining that BLA-2s should be allowed to remain present during the process. PTI SCH MNB