Mamata writes to CEC, alleges SIR 'unplanned', 'coercive'
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleging that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in the state is being run in an “unplanned and coercive” manner, putting citizens and officials at risk.
She also claimed that the SIR exercise has reached an "alarming" and "dangerous" stage.
Banerjee said she had “time and again” flagged her concerns over the ongoing SIR process, and told the CEC that she is now “compelled to write” because the situation has “deeply deteriorated”.
The chief minister alleged that the voters' list revision exercise is being “forced upon” people "without basic preparedness or adequate planning".
“The manner in which this exercise is being forced upon officials and citizens is not only unplanned and chaotic, but also dangerous. The absence of even basic preparedness, adequate planning or clear communication has crippled the process from day one,” the chief minister wrote.
Pointing to "critical gaps" in training, lack of clarity on mandatory documentation, and the "near-impossibility" of BLOs meeting voters during their livelihood hours, Banerjee said the entire SIR exercise has become “structurally unsound”.
The CM said the “human cost of SIR mismanagement is now unbearable”, citing the death of an anganwadi worker serving as a booth-level officer in Mal, Jalpaiguri.
She died by suicide, “reportedly under crushing SIR-related pressure”.
“Several others have lost their lives since this process began,” she said.
"Under these circumstances, I strongly urge and expect immediate corrective action," Banerjee added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
US renews sanctions waiver for purchase of Russian oil
Washington (PTI): The United States has extended by a month a waiver from sanctions to allow countries to buy petroleum products from Russia, days after it ruled out renewal of the special measure.
The US Department of Treasury issued an order late Friday extending the waiver from sanctions on Russian oil that is already at sea on or before April 17 through May 16.
Earlier, the US had granted an exemption from sanctions to India for buying Russian oil for a month beginning March 5. A few days later, a similar waiver was extended to several other countries, which ended on April 11.
The general licence issued by the US on Friday does not authorise any transaction involving a person, entity or joint venture located in Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or parts of Ukraine.
On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would not be renewing the waiver for Russian oil and another for Iranian oil.
The previous waiver of sanctions had made available 140 million barrels of Russian oil already loaded on ships to global markets as prices soared against the backdrop of the US war with Iran.
"Effective April 17, 2026, General License No. 134A, which was dated March 19, 2026 and expired on April 11, 2026, is replaced and superseded in its entirety by this General License No. 134B," said the order issued by the Department of Treasury.
