Follow SC's directions on SIR, ensure administrative work isn't neglected: Mamata govt to DMs

KOLKATA: Amid the ongoing tussle between the West Bengal government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, the Mamata government has issued certain directions to the District Magistrates (DMs), who are also the District Electoral Officers (DEOs).

In a meeting convened by the Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, on late Monday afternoon, in which the Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, suddenly joined in for 10 to 15 minutes, the District Magistrates were given certain directions.

The first instruction was that the DMs, also the DEO's should rather conduct the revision exercise in lines with the recent direction given by the Supreme Court on Monday issuing a slew of directions to the ECI as regards to the SIR in West Bengal, rather than blindly following any "arbitrary" decision forced on them by the Commission's higher authorities from New Delhi, an attendee of the meeting said.