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West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Sunday said that the death of Booth Level Officer (BLO) Shanti Muni Ekka, who allegedly took her own life due to unbearable pressure from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls work, will be examined in detail.
On November 19, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had expressed shock and sadness over the demise of the BLO, criticising the Election Commission of India (ECI) for imposing an "unplanned, relentless workload", compressing a 3-year process into 2 months. Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, on completing three years in office, Governor Bose said, "In such a situation, it is better to avoid a knee-jerk reaction. What the Chief Minister said has to be examined in detail. I am sure we have an Election Commission which is strong enough and has a balanced outlook. All these issues can be examined properly and appropriate solutions found, but what is required is free and fair elections in this country." When asked about the alleged infiltrators in the state and the anxiety over the SIR exercise, he said he would visit the borders to get a reality check. Bose said, "I will be visiting the border, make a reality check and then I will comment on that." Calling for a dialogue between the state government and the ECI, the West Bengal Governor added, "I advise everyone to avoid panic reactions. I am sure that our constitution has enough checks and balances. To sort out such a situation, there should be a dialogue between the state government and the Election Commission. As the Governor, what is required to bridge the two, I will certainly take the initiative." Currently, a nationwide SIR is underway in 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal, with the final elector's list to be published on February 7, 2026. These states and UTs include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress will hold an internal meeting on November 24, chaired by party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The objective of this meeting will be a SIR-related review, improvements across many places and districts, and ensuring that no names are left out. CM Mamata Banerjee will meet the Matua community in Bongaon, North 24 Parganas, on November 25. (ANI)
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