Vandalism Hits West Bengal SIR Centres – Road Blockades Continue
Vandalism and road blockades hit West Bengal SIR hearing centres amid electoral roll revision protests.
Tensions continued to flare across West Bengal on Tuesday as protests against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls led to vandalism at hearing centres and fresh road blockades in several districts. Government offices hosting Election Commission hearings witnessed disruptions, raising concerns over the smooth conduct of the electoral process. Authorities said the situation remained tense but under watch.
Clashes were reported at hearing centres located in sub-divisional officer (SDO) buildings and other government offices in districts such as South 24 Parganas, Hooghly and North 24 Parganas. These incidents followed similar disturbances on Monday, when Election Commission of India (ECI) officials faced resistance during hearings in multiple parts of the state.
The unrest comes a day after the Supreme Court issued a series of directives to both the Election Commission and the Mamata Banerjee-led state government to ensure that the SIR process is carried out smoothly. The apex court specifically directed that officials must issue acknowledgements for documents received and certify that hearings have been conducted, addressing key complaints raised by affected electors.
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The court also instructed the state government to deploy adequate manpower to support both central and state poll officials at hearing centres. Despite these directions, fresh violence was reported on Tuesday in Basanti’s Sonakhali area in the Sundarbans, around 78 km southeast of Kolkata. Protesters vandalised the Karmatirtha government building, breaking furniture and forcing officials to flee while hearings were underway.
Local residents alleged that election officials failed to issue receipts for documents submitted during the hearings, triggering anger among those summoned. The agitators, reportedly backed by supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress, later blocked roads and burnt tyres, disrupting traffic. Authorities are assessing the damage and reviewing security arrangements as the SIR exercise continues amid growing political tension.
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