EC flags technical issue in 2002 rolls, halts hearings for 'unmapped' electors in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): The EC has issued fresh instructions to district election officials in West Bengal, directing that voters marked as "unmapped" in the BLO app due to technical issues linked to the digitisation of the 2002 electoral rolls during the ongoing SIR exercise should not be called for hearings, even if such notices have been auto-generated by the system.
The directive, issued by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, on Saturday stated that the issue has arisen due to incomplete conversion of the PDF version of the 2002 electoral rolls, the last Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted in the state, into CSV format, leading to linkage failures in the booth-level officer (BLO) app for a number of electors.
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It said that despite being marked as "unmapped" in the system, many such electors have valid self or progeny linkage with the hard copy of the 2002 electoral rolls, duly authenticated by district election officers (DEOs) and published on the CEO's website.
The CEO's office said that hearing notices generated automatically in such cases need not be served and should be retained at the level of the electoral registration officer (ERO) or assistant electoral registration officer (AERO).
As per the instructions, extracts of the 2002 electoral rolls may be forwarded to the DEO concerned for verification in accordance with the guidelines of the Election Commission. Upon verification, EROs or AEROs may take an appropriate decision and upload the necessary documents for the disposal of the cases.
The directive also allows BLOs to be deputed for field verification, including taking photographs of the electors concerned for uploading in the system.
"This directive might be for the time being. If it is felt that hearings are at all required in some cases, that will be done only after a proper verification," an official told PTI.
However, it clarified that in cases where discrepancies are detected at a later stage, either during scrutiny of the hard copy of the 2002 electoral rolls or upon receipt of complaints, the electors concerned may be called for hearings after due serving of notices.
The instructions have been circulated to all DEOs as part of the ongoing SIR exercise in West Bengal to ensure accuracy of electoral rolls while addressing technical limitations in legacy data integration.
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Maharashtra cops bust ₹1.2 crore worth drugs in Bengaluru ahead of New Year
Bengaluru: With New Year celebrations just days away, the Maharashtra Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF), with assistance from the Bengaluru City Police, has seized drugs worth about ₹1.20 crore from different parts of the city.
The seizure was made during coordinated raids conducted by Maharashtra police teams at Horamavu, Yerrappanahalli and Kannur areas on the outskirts of Bengaluru. During the operation, police recovered around 4.1 kg of solid MDMA and 17 kg of liquid MDMA, with a total estimated value of ₹1.20 crore.
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Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwara, who briefed senior police officers during a meeting in the city on Sunday, said the operation was part of intensified action against drug trafficking that has been underway across the state since October and November. He said the Maharashtra police had first arrested an accused in Mumbai on December 27, based on whose information another accused was traced and arrested in Bengaluru through a joint operation involving Maharashtra police and the Bengaluru City Police.
According to the Home Minister, the accused had stored mephedrone, a chemical used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs. Based on inputs from the Mumbai arrest, a coordinated operation was carried out by the Bengaluru City Police, Mumbai Police, the Narcotics Control Bureau and other investigating agencies. He dismissed claims that Bengaluru police had not acted in the case, stating that the operation was a result of joint efforts.
Dr Parameshwara also rejected reports claiming that three drug manufacturing units were operating in Bengaluru, calling such information false. He said senior Bengaluru police officers, including deputy commissioners, were present during the raids along with Maharashtra police officials. He added that the fight against drug networks was being carried out in an organised manner at the national level, with intensified enforcement since October.
Clarifying reports that suggested drugs worth ₹58 crore had been seized, the Home Minister said those figures were incorrect. He stated that the total quantity of drugs recovered was around 4 kg in solid form, valued at ₹1.20 crore. He noted that in several cases, Karnataka police also act on information provided by accused persons arrested in other states, and such coordination should not be portrayed as a failure of local police.
He warned that strict action would be taken if lapses were found at any level, including against deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners or local officers, adding that disciplinary action could go beyond suspension if required.
Senior officials, including Director General of Police Dr M.A. Saleem, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh, joint commissioners and deputy commissioners from various wings, were present at the meeting.
Reacting to the development, former Deputy Chief Minister and BJP MLA Dr C.N. Ashwath Narayan alleged that the Home Department had failed to curb the organised production, transport and sale of drugs in the state. He said the fact that Maharashtra police were conducting raids in Karnataka reflected poorly on the state’s law enforcement machinery.
BJP state president B.Y. Vijayendra also criticised the government, claiming that Bengaluru was fast turning into a “drug hub” and questioning the effectiveness of the state’s intelligence and police systems. He said the involvement of police from other states in exposing drug networks in Karnataka was a matter of serious concern and an embarrassment for the state administration.
