Kolkata, Nov 26 (PTI) — The Election Commission announced on Tuesday that nearly 14 lakh Special Intensive Revision (SIR) enumeration forms in West Bengal have been identified as "uncollectable". This figure marks an increase from the 10.33 lakh such forms reported on Monday.

According to an official, these forms are classified as "uncollectable" due to various reasons, including voters being absentee, deceased, permanently shifted, or listed as duplicates.

West Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manoj Kumar Agarwal, had previously stated that over 10 lakh SIR enumeration forms were deemed "uncollectable". He explained that this determination was made because the voters were either absentee, duplicate, dead, or had permanently moved. As of Monday afternoon, the collection and digitization of 4.55 crore forms had been completed, with the 10.33 lakh uncollectable forms representing 1.35 percent of the total 7.64 crore forms distributed.

Agarwal has praised the efforts of the booth-level officers (BLOs) in carrying out the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, calling them the "real heroes" of the exercise. He noted that many BLOs have been working beyond regular hours to reach voters and complete the necessary procedures. The CEO's office has reported that Purba Bardhaman, Alipurduar, Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, and Purba Medinipur are the top five districts in terms of progress in the SIR exercise. Gosaba assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas was highlighted as the best-performing in the state, with 121 BLOs completing all assigned tasks.

However, the BLOs in West Bengal have protested "excessive work pressure". There have also been reports of at least three BLOs in West Bengal who have died during the door-to-door enumeration form distribution and collection process since November 4.

In response to concerns about internet connectivity issues faced by BLOs, election officials have stated that Wi-Fi hubs have been established to ensure seamless connectivity. Help desks have also been set up in DM, ERO, and BDO offices to assist BLOs with data entry. The CEO has also assured that district magistrates are responsible for the medical care of any BLO who falls ill.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised concerns about prohibiting contractual data entry operators from assisting with the SIR process. She has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) for "immediate intervention" on issues related to the SIR, including the data entry operators. The EC's instruction specifies that contractual staff cannot be employed, and a tendering process similar to that in Bihar has been followed. The Election Commission of India (EC) has scheduled a meeting with a ten-member delegation of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) on November 28.