KOLKATA: In a startling revelation, the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls could not find any dead, duplicate or untraceable voters in 2,208 polling booths across West Bengal. The Election Commission of India (ECI) came to know about the matter after verifying the enumeration forms that have already been digitised.

In the SIR exercise, Booth Level Officers (BLOs) distribute enumeration forms among voters during their door-to-door visits and collect them once they are filled. All enumeration forms from 2,208 booths were filled up and returned, suggesting that there were no dead, duplicate or untraceable voters in these booths.

Expressing serious concern over the irregularities, the ECI on Monday sought reports from district magistrates (DMs), who also function as district electoral officers (DEOs), by Tuesday. The national poll panel has decided to keep special watch in these booths in districts of South 24 Parganas, Purulia, Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia, Bankura, Howrah, East Midnapore, Birbhum, North 24 Parganas, Jalpaiguri, Hooghly, South Dinajpur, West Midnapore, North Dinajpur, East Bardhaman, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kolkata North, and West Bardhaman.

The Commission sources said, “South 24 Parganas district has the highest number, with 760 such booths without any dead, duplicate or untraceable voters. Purulia records the second-highest number at 228 such booths followed by Murshidabad with 226.”