EC flags delay in sending proposals for setting up booths in high rise buildings in Bengal

Kolkata, Dec 11 (PTI) The Election Commission has raised concerns over the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) office's delay in submitting proposals for polling booths in high rise buildings and housing societies, citing an insufficient number of applications received within the prescribed deadline, an official said on Thursday.

New polling stations are required ahead of next year's assembly elections, as the poll panel has decided that the number of electors cannot exceed 1200 in a booth.

An extensive survey was supposed to be carried out for setting up new polling stations in high rise buildings, group housing societies or RWA colonies that have common facilitation area or community halls at ground floor within the premises and in slum dwelling clusters of urban areas.

District electoral officers (DEOs) shall finalise the proposal of new polling stations and obtain the Commission's approval, according to a guideline of the EC.

However, in a letter to the West Bengal CEO, the EC said, "No proposal of polling stations has been received in the Commission from your office so far. The Commission has taken a very serious view of the failure on the part of DEOs performance of their statutory duty...." A well-placed source in the state CEO indicated that the EC suspects "a degree of apathy" among DEOs in carrying out the directive.

After the publication of the draft voter list on December 16, the CEO's office will have to conduct fresh surveys for establishing polling booths in high rises, buildings, group housing societies, RWA colonies, slum areas, and gated communities.

The Commission has issued strict instructions to DEOs, emphasising that the proposals must be submitted by December 31. It specified that "any multi-storey building or society with at least 250 households or 500 registered voters should have a designated polling booth." A source in the office of the CEO said, "As of Monday, only two reports had been received," highlighting a significant gap in compliance.

The proposal to set up polling booths within residential complexes had received flak from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who had written to the EC expressing concerns. PTI SCH NN