A dispute has emerged between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the West Bengal government over alleged irregularities in voter list revisions.
On August 5, the ECI directed the state to suspend five officials – two Electoral Registration Officers, two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers, and one data entry operator – for serious mistakes during voter roll updates in Baruipur Purba (South 24 Parganas) and Moyna (Purba Medinipur). The Commission accused them of allowing unauthorised voter entries and sharing login details. It also ordered the filing of FIRs and departmental inquiries.
However, the Bengal government acted only against two officials – one Assistant Electoral Registration Officer and the data entry operator – removing them from election duties. The other three were kept in their positions while an internal investigation began.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant told the ECI that immediate suspension of all five would be “too harsh” and could demoralise other officials.
The ECI was dissatisfied with this partial action. It summoned the Chief Secretary to Delhi by August 13 to explain why the state had not followed its orders fully. The Commission said voter roll integrity is critical and any breach must be dealt with firmly.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly opposed the ECI’s move, calling it excessive and politically motivated. She assured state officials that her government would protect them and urged them not to feel intimidated by central agencies.
This is not the first voter list controversy in Bengal. In May, the ECI had cancelled over 7,800 voter identity cards in the state, citing duplicate entries. Opposition parties allege that such irregularities could affect the fairness of elections, while the Trinamool Congress accuses the ECI of acting in favour of the BJP.
The current standoff highlights tensions between the state and the poll body. The outcome of the Chief Secretary’s meeting with the ECI will determine whether further suspensions or legal action will take place. With assembly elections due next year, the dispute could become a bigger political flashpoint.
