Kolkata: The West Bengal government has informed the Election Commission that it is ready to make available 8,505 Group B officers of the state or its instrumentalities for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State, sources said.
The move gains urgency ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on Monday where a bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Ka
nt and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria, will address pleas including one by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
Sources indicate Banerjee, who on February 4 became the first serving chief minister to argue in the top court, may come to the apex court on Monday again.
It is pertinent to mention that on February 4, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi appearing for the poll panel, told the apex court that the state had provided the services of only 80 Grade 2 officers, such as SDMs, for overseeing the SIR process.
Dwivedi also said that only low-ranked government employees, such as Anganwadi workers, were provided by the West Bengal government for the exercise.
Banerjee had countered the ECI’s charges saying the state had provided whatever was sought by the poll panel.