The Election Commission’s special observer (general) for Bengal, Alok Sinha, has asked district magistrates to furnish data by Thursday on areas where violent incidents during the 2023 panchayat polls took place, people were prevented from casting their votes and booths where national parties could not field their agents.

The data will be uploaded by the DMs, who will be district election officers (DEO) during the Lok Sabha polls, on the CEO portal by Thursday.

“Dear DEOs, Hon’ble State Observer (General) has desired the information in this format with regard to Panchayat Election 2023. Please upload the required data in the format made available on the CEO portal… This report should be uploaded by 3pm tomorrow (4 April),” reads a message sent to the DMs from the chief electoral officer’s (CEO) office on Wednesday.

Sources in the state administration said that the message assumes significance for two reasons. First, the special observer (general) has made it clear that he would map the vulnerability of the booths based on the violent incidents during the panchayat polls and not based on the reports of the DMs and SPs.

Second, this is significant as officials could not recall whether the EC had earlier mapped the sensitivity of booths based on incidents during a local election.

The format sent to the DMs mentioned the names of all 294 Assembly segments in the state.

The columns, to be filled up by the DMs, would leave Bengal’s ruling party in a spot as the Opposition has complained about Trinamul’s muscle flexing during the 2023 rural polls.

The Opposition, particularly the BJP, had alleged that about 55 people were killed during the rural polls last year as the ruling party prevented the Opposition parties from fielding candidates and forced many to withdraw.

The Trinamul had brushed aside the charges saying only a few incidents were reported. The chief minister announced compensation to 19 victims who died during the polls.

“Of the 19, 10 were from Trinamul. We won’t differentiate based on political
allegiance.... Of the 71,000 booths in the state, violence was reported only from 60,” Mamata had said after the rural polls.

Trinamul leaders were unhappy with the format sent to the DMs.

“It is clear that the special observer (general) wants to know particularly where the BJP could not field polling agents as the format asked for booths with no agents of national parties. We also could not field agents in some booths too. But the DMs can’t mention the areas as the format does not allow it,” said a Trinamul leader.

Sources in the state administration said the special observer (general) perhaps missed a trick.

“He did not seek reports about areas where the ruling party won seats uncontested. These areas could be vulnerable too if the ruling party forced rivals to withdraw,” said a senior official.