ECI to discuss proposals for setting up polling stations in housing complexes in Bengal
KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) may hold a meeting with electoral officers of Kolkata North, Kolkata South, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas electoral districts, along with the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and his officials, on Tuesday to discuss its earlier proposals for setting up polling stations inside private housing complexes with multiple high-rise buildings. Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) Gyanesh Bharti is reaching Kolkata from Delhi on Monday to hold the meeting at the office of state CEO Manoj Agarwal. Electoral officers (EOs) of Kolkata North, Kolkata South, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts are expected to be present, sources said. Sources in the ECI said the Commission is keen to set up polling stations inside housing societies as around 10 per cent of voters reside in multi-storied buildings in Kolkata and district towns across Bengal. It was alleged that voters living in housing complexes are reluctant to cast their votes at polling stations located outside due to fear of poll-related violence. That is why the Commission has been showing interest in setting up polling booths inside housing complexes so that residents can cast their mandates in elections, a source said, requesting anonymity. Earlier, the national poll body had pulled up district magistrates (DMs), who also function as district electoral officers (DEOs), for remaining inactive on its proposals related to polling stations inside private housing complexes. On December 10, the ECI had written to Agarwal, directing him to take immediate steps in this regard. As per its guidelines, the Commission had instructed DEOs to conduct extensive house-to-house (H2H) surveys for setting up polling stations in high-rise or group housing societies, RWA colonies with common facilitation areas or community halls on the ground floor within the premises, and slum dwelling clusters in urban areas. The Commission had also directed DEOs to finalise proposals for new polling stations after obtaining its prior approval. According to the Commissions directive, the final report was to be completed by December 31 so that electoral registration officers (EROs) could update the control table on ECINet. In a strongly worded communication to the office of the West Bengal CEO, the Commission had threatened strong action against DMs and DEOs for failing to submit proposals for setting up polling booths inside high-rise housing complexes. The Commission has taken a very serious view of the failure on the part of DEOs in the performance of their statutory duty as laid down under Section 25 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, read with Section 160 of the said Act. DEOs are also liable under these provisions for any lack of sufficiency of polling stations for electors in the specified residential colonies, the ECI cautioned in its letter. The Trinamool Congress and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have opposed the ECIs proposal to set up polling booths inside private housing complexes. Last month, the Chief Minister wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar objecting to the proposal for the Assembly polls scheduled next year. This proposal is deeply problematic. Polling stations have always been, and must remain, located in government or semi-government institutions, preferably within a 2 km radius, to ensure accessibility and neutrality. Private buildings are typically avoided for clear reasons: they compromise fairness, violate established norms, and create discriminatory distinctions between privileged residents and the general public the haves and have-nots, Banerjee wrote.
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