8 months ago
Trade Unions Seek DM's Intervention on SIR
Workers at steel plants in India have been asked to fill out forms to update their voting details.
The forms ask for personal information, including details about their spouses.
Some worker groups are worried because they think this is a separate check that's happening at the same time as the official one.
They've asked the local government to look into it.
The election officials say they didn't know about these forms, but the steel plants say they were following orders from higher authorities.
Another organization, related to trains, also asked for similar information around the same time.
Nationalized steel plants issued circulars asking workers to submit declarations for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP) appointed nodal officers and required submissions within a week.
Trade unions expressed concern over a potential parallel SIR process and sought clarification and intervention.
The Election Commission's Roll Observer for West Burdwan was unaware of the move by SAIL units.
Chittaranjan Locomotive Works also issued a similar circular for sanitization under the SIR.
- Who
- Trade unions, workers and executives of nationalized steel plants, Election Commission's Roll Observer, District Magistrate of West Burdwan
- What
- Issuance of circulars asking workers to submit declarations for Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, trade unions seeking intervention
- Where
- Durgapur Steel Plant, IISCO Steel Plant, Alloy Steels Plant, West Burdwan district
- When
- Circulars issued on 24 December, similar circular by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works on 26 December
- Why
- To update and verify electoral rolls, concerns over parallel SIR process
Key facts
- Organizations Involved
- Durgapur Steel Plant (DSP), IISCO Steel Plant, Alloy Steels Plant, CITU, INTUC
- Number of Workers Affected
- 6,000
- Date of Circular Issuance
- 24 December
- Election Commission's Roll Observer
- Smita Pandey
- District Magistrate's Office
- West Burdwan
- Chief Electoral Officer
- West Bengal
- Other Organization Issuing Similar Circular
- Chittaranjan Locomotive Works
Quotes
Smita Pandey
Election Commission’s Roll Observer for West Burdwan
“It is possibly an instruction to PSUs from the EC office. We were not aware of this.”
thestatesman.com
Debesh Chakraborty
District president of the Congress
“We have brought the matter to the notice of the DM, raising doubts over whether DSP can compel employees to provide such personal details by floating a parallel SIR, especially when workers and their family members have already submitted SIR enumeration forms and hearings are still in progress.”
thestatesman.com
