AGARTALA: Senior Tripura CPI-M leader Jitendra Chowdhury has written to chief electoral officer (CEO) of the state – Kiran Gitte requesting him to discard the idea of formation of Booth Awareness Groups (BAGs) in every polling booth.
Tripura CPI-M leader Jitendra Chowdhury said that he feels formation of BAGs to be an attempt to help BJP cadres to gang up.
The letter expressed serious concern over the proposal of BAGs and said that to help the election machinery in poll management Booth Level Officers (BLO) and Booth Level Agents (BLA) in a booth are sufficient.
The Tripura CPI-M leader said, “I am sorry to say, never this was discussed in any all-party meeting held so far. However, we are placing our strong objection to the formation of such a BAG.”
He said that there is already an awareness group working in each of the polling booths comprising concerned BLO and BLAs of political parties.
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“Can you expect, the BLOs will pick up the persons from social groups with integrity and neutrality in each of the polling booths? We believe, practically it will be nothing but a booth committee sponsored by the ruling party having the seal of the election commission. What is the objective of the formation of such a BAG, what kinds of tasks will the BAG perform, the jurisdiction of their task, nothing has been defined,” the Tripura CPI-M leader questioned.
“So far ‘awareness’ of the electors are concerned, I think, the body comprising BLO and BLAs in a booth sufficient and widening this body with the representatives of various social groups would only create controversy,” he said.