Kolkata, Feb 23 (NationPress) The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) has urged the authorities to publish accurate voter lists prior to the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal.

WBPCC President Subhankar Sarkar declared a 24-hour sit-in demonstration outside the office of the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Kolkata, commencing at 2 p.m. on February 27, to advocate for this demand.

Simultaneously, the State Congress President launched a political offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, criticizing him for his remarks regarding the Indian Youth Congress's protest at the recent AI conference in Delhi.

He further announced that demonstrations would take place in the city from 1 to 2 p.m. on Tuesday to oppose PM Modi's comments. 'Tomorrow's protest will be distinctive. Details will follow regarding the location,' Sarkar mentioned.

He asserted that there are historical precedents for such protests, referencing the freedom struggle.

Additionally, he questioned the Central government’s actions, especially in light of the violence occurring in Manipur.

The leadership of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress described the Indian Youth Congress's protest as a 'valid expression of dissent.'

'Such protests are essential to unveil the true nature of the Central government,' Sarkar stated.

On another note, indicating a potential escalation in protests regarding the voter list matter, the West Bengal Pradesh Congress highlighted numerous discrepancies associated with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list that commenced on November 4 of the previous year.

Sarkar remarked, 'From the beginning, we have insisted that no eligible voter should be excluded and no fraudulent names should appear on the voter list. However, the handling of the SIR over the past four months has resulted in unnecessary distress for eligible voters, raising concerns about a significant number of deletions.'

According to the State Congress President, over one crore voters have been flagged due to alleged 'logical discrepancies,' the legal validity of which remains in doubt.

Sarkar also noted that judicial intervention has been necessary multiple times due to certain actions taken by the Election Commission.

The Congress plans to amplify their protests in the coming days, demanding that the final voter list under SIR be made public by February 28, ensuring that no valid voter's name is omitted based on 'logical discrepancies,' and safeguarding the legal powers of electoral registration officers.

Furthermore, they demand that all applications submitted through Forms 6, 7, and 8 receive proper consideration, and a new timeline along with explicit guidelines should be provided to eligible voters who were inadvertently excluded, ensuring resolution before the nomination process begins.