Kolkata, Jan 21 (PTI) The Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday sought a report from West Bengal Chief Secretary within 72 hours on action taken against four state government officials accused of illegally adding names to voter lists in two districts, a senior official of the poll body said.
The EC had earlier recommended that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) Debottam Dutta Chowdhury and Biplab Sarkar, and Assistant EROs Tathagat Mondal and Sudipto Das be suspended and criminal proceedings initiated against them for the alleged irregularities.
The four officials allegedly included names of voters on the electoral rolls illegally in Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts.
In a letter to the chief secretary, the EC said, “… you are requested to refer to the Commission’s letter dated 05.08.2025, wherein directions were given for suspension and initiation of suitable disciplinary proceedings against the concerned EROs/AEROs and for lodging of FIRs against the erring officials.” The top bureaucrat of the state was asked to explain by 5 pm on January 24 why the directives were not implemented,” an official of the Commission said.
The EC had initially directed the filing of FIRs against the officials. However, former Chief Secretary Manoj Panth reportedly did not act on the instructions.
“Even after our repeated orders, FIRs were not filed. We have now asked the district magistrates concerned to act,” the EC official said.
The matter escalated after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing a meeting in Jhargram, alleged that state government officials were being intimidated by the EC.
The state Home Department’s Special Commissioner had written to the Chief Electoral Officer ‘s office seeking withdrawal of the FIR directive, saying it would “major punishment for minor mistakes”.
The CEO reportedly forwarded the letter to Delhi, but the EC remained firm, emphasising, “No lapse in implementing electoral law will be overlooked.” Before the Special Intensive Review (SIR), the poll body had instructed the state government to suspend the officials, conduct departmental inquiries, and file FIRs for allegedly adding “ghost voters” to the rolls.
“Action must be taken to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls,” the poll body had said at the time. PTI SCH NN
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