Kolkata, Dec 31 (IANS) A day after police complaints were filed against the Chief Election Commissioner and the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal over the death of an elderly person allegedly linked to fear of a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing, the Election Commission has rejected the allegations, terming them intimidatory and baseless.

Reacting to media reports on the complaints, the CEO, West Bengal, in a post on X, said the allegations appeared to be an attempt to intimidate election officials engaged in statutory duties.

“It has come to the notice of this office from various press reports that two complaints have been filed with the police against the Chief Election Commissioner of India and the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal,” the statement said.

The poll panel further stated that “the allegations contained therein appear to be premeditated, unsubstantiated and a crude attempt to browbeat officers tasked with discharging statutory duties in connection with SIR 2026”.

“Such intimidatory tactics designed to threaten the election machinery into submission and derail the process are undoubtedly destined to fail,” the statement added.

The CEO, West Bengal, also said the matter would be pursued legally. “No stone will be left unturned to unearth the conspiracy behind these serial and fabricated complaints. The rule of law and truth shall prevail. The election machinery in the state is committed to function with grit and rectitude solely and wholly in public interest,” the statement said.

The strong reaction from the Election Commission came after police complaints were filed by families of two elderly voters who died on Monday after receiving hearing notices as part of the ongoing SIR process.

In Purulia district, Kanai Majhi alleged that his 82-year-old father, Durjan Majhi, was under severe distress after receiving a hearing notice, claiming that his name appeared in the physical 2002 West Bengal SIR rolls but was missing from the 2002 SIR list uploaded on the Election Commission’s website. Durjan Majhi died by suicide hours before his scheduled hearing.

Meanwhile, in Howrah district, the son of 64-year-old Jamat Ali Sheikh alleged that the Chief Election Commissioner and the state CEO had misused their powers by issuing a hearing notice to his father, a valid voter, subjecting him to mental distress that allegedly led to his death.

–IANS

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