Political Parties Delay Naming Agents for Upcoming Electoral Roll Revision

Political parties in West Bengal are hesitating to announce their booth-level agents (BLAs) for the upcoming special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, fearing potential poaching by rival groups. With over 80,681 booths in the state, only around 18,000 BLAs have been nominated as of Tuesday. The ruling Trinamool Congress has identified approximately 5,000 agents, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has listed about 7,000 names. The remaining agents are affiliated with other political parties.

On Tuesday, Manoj Agarwal, the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, urged all eight registered political parties to submit their lists of BLAs. “They (the agents) will help booth-level officers (BLOs) verify the voters list,” Agarwal stated, emphasizing the critical role these agents will play in the SIR process. Each BLA is permitted to collect up to 50 SIR enumeration forms, which must be signed by the applicants upon submission.

As the verification process is set to commence on November 4, 2023, parties are opting to delay the announcement of their agents until the last moment. This cautious approach stems from concerns that their BLAs could face intimidation or coercion from competitors. In a recent SIR in Bihar, approximately 1.6 lakh BLAs were involved, highlighting the significant role these agents play in ensuring electoral transparency, as noted by the Election Commission during Supreme Court hearings.

According to guidelines established by the Election Commission in 2008, BLAs can collect printed copies of electoral rolls on behalf of their parties. They are also responsible for informing BLOs about deceased voters and individuals who have changed their residence or constituency. Importantly, BLAs can file objections regarding non-voters listed on the rolls and report any missing names of legitimate voters.

The criteria for appointing BLAs stipulate that they must be local voters, as outlined in the BLA-2 form that political parties must complete. This requirement provides the Trinamool Congress with a strategic advantage, given its extensive presence across Bengal. A senior leader from the party, who requested anonymity, remarked, “This is a strategic move taken by the party leadership. Despite the SIR emphasis by the BJP, they simply do not have enough party workers to fill all BLA positions.”

The leader further noted that while the Election Commission has not specified a deadline for appointing BLAs, the process is expected to conclude by the start of the SIR verification. Samik Bhattacharya, president of the Bengal BJP, acknowledged the challenges his party faces in appointing BLAs for all booths. “We are trying to mobilise as many BLAs as possible. However, there could be a few thousand booths where we might not be able to depute BLAs,” he stated. Bhattacharya added that the party is working on alternative arrangements to maintain its presence in those areas.

As the electoral roll revision approaches, the actions of political parties in West Bengal will be closely monitored, particularly in light of the ongoing concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process and the potential for interference.