'Misleading': BJP on CM Mamata's Madhyamik Examination admit card - an acceptable identity proof claim

Kolkata, Jan 22 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of misleading the people of the state through her claims that Election Commission of India (ECI) was "compelled" to include Madhyamik Examination admit card as an acceptable identity document in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearings because of constant persuasion of Trinamool Congress at the Supreme Court. 

Madhyamik is the secondary examination conducted by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education.

BJP's Information Technology Cell Chief and the party's central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, issued a statement giving a detailed explanation on why the Chief Minister's claims in the matter were misleading.

According to Malviya, a closer reading of the Election Commission of India (ECI)'s circular in the matter clearly showed that the 'Madhyamik admit card' was a conjoint identity document only if provided along with the 'Madhyamik pass certificate' and in no way will the admit card be treated as a standalone identity document.

"Trinamool made a huge song and dance over the admit card being accepted as a document for SIR, hailing Mamata Banerjee as if she had brought home a trophy. But a closer reading of the Election Commission of India's circular exposes the truth. The provision clearly said: ‘Madhyamik admit card (Class X), which discloses the date of birth of the candidate, may be submitted apart from the Madhyamik pass certificate during the hearing. This makes the admit card a conjoint document, not a stand-alone proof," Malviya said in his social media statement.

In clear terms, it means that an admit card alone was not enough, and both the admit card and pass certificate are required as a valid and conjoint identification document, Malviya added.

According to him, this meant that fake, fabricated, or manufactured admit cards will not pass scrutiny.

"Bad news for Mamata Banerjee's core vote bank, many of whom were banking on forged admit cards to slip into the voter list," Malviya added.

--IANS

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