Kolkata, Dec 11 || The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, to conduct the hearings on the claims and objections in the second stage of the three-stage Special Intensive Revision (SIR) only at the offices of the District Magistrates who are also the District Electoral Officers concerned.
The Commission has directed that such hearings should not be conducted at the block development offices or the panchayat offices under any circumstances, sources in the CEO's office confirmed.
"At the same time, the ECI had also directed that the hearings in the matter should be webcast mandatorily, and the footage of the same should be preserved. Following the strict instructions from the Commission, instructions have been sent to all the district magistrates, as well as the district electoral officers, to make all the necessary arrangements on this count," sources in the CEO's office confirmed.
The specially appointed roll observers for the state have also been advised by the Commission to be extra vigilant to ensure that the hearings in the matter are conducted at the District Magistrates' offices.