Routine Electoral Summons Stir Controversy

The West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer clarified that summonses to Amartya Sen, Mohammed Shami, and Dev were part of routine electoral verification, not targeted. Notices, part of standard procedure, were issued due to mandatory linkage columns left blank on enumeration forms, necessitating hearings for several electors.

The West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer's office clarified that recent hearing summonses sent to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, cricketer Mohammed Shami, and Bengali actor-turned-TMC MP Dev were routine electoral checks, not singled-out actions.

The notices stirred controversy upon their receipt, but scrutiny of enumeration forms showed the absence of mandatory linkage columns. According to the Election Commission's guidelines, such omissions necessitate hearings, prompting the summoning of these individuals alongside others.

The CEO's office noted that for Amartya Sen, a discrepancy arose due to the age gap with a linked relative, designated by the ERO Net Portal. The office emphasized that election procedures were uniformly applied, adhering to EC's regulations without biased intervention.

(With inputs from agencies.)