EC observer Murugan faces protest during SIR inspection in Bengal's South 24 Parganas

Kolkata, Dec 12 (PTI) Election Commission-appointed electoral rolls observer C. Murugan on Thursday faced protests while inspecting the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls at Falta in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district.

The incident occurred where a group of local women, reportedly Trinamool Congress supporters, surrounded the bureaucrat and raised slogans.

They demanded that the Centre first release funds for housing under the 'Awas Yojana' and pending wages for the 100-day MGNREGA scheme. They alleged that the SIR process would not be allowed to continue until these demands were met.

Murugan, who was leading a team of the poll body, visited Falta to review the progress of SIR work, including verification by booth-level officers (BLOs), scrutiny of the number of deceased voters in each booth, and door-to-door checks of elderly voters to confirm whether they were alive.

"It was during this field visit that the group of Trinamool supporters began demonstrating around the team, shouting slogans against the SIR process and the BJP," one of the officials, accompanying Murugan, told PTI.

"Most of the demonstrators were women. The slogans centred on demands for 'Awas Yojana' houses and pending MGNREGA wages," he added.

Murugan later expressed displeasure over the disruption, calling it a deliberate attempt to obstruct the process.

Sources in the poll body said that he was expected to submit a detailed report to the Election Commission by Thursday evening.

State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal declined to comment in detail, saying only that the matter would be examined and appropriate steps taken.

The SIR process began across West Bengal and 11 other states and Union Territories on November 4.

The draft electoral rolls will be published on December 16, and the final rolls on February 14 next year. PTI SCH MNB