Voter roll row: W.B. govt. complies with poll body directive, suspends 4 officials

The West Bengal government on Thursday informed the Election Commission (EC) that it has complied with its directive to suspend four officials involved in alleged irregularities while preparing electoral rolls. However, it refused to register an FIR against the officials.

Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, who had met officials at the EC headquarters in Delhi on August 13 after the government agreed to remove only two personnel from active poll duty, informed the EC about the government’s latest action.

On August 5, the EC had directed the government to suspend four officials – two Electoral Registration Officers and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers – and a data entry operator and file an FIR for “irregularities” while preparing electoral rolls in Baruipur Purba and Moyna Assembly seats in South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts respectively.

The five personnel were charged with fraudulent registration of 127 voters using forged documents and the EC set a deadline of August 11 for the Chief Secretary to respond.

Mr. Pant wrote to the EC on August 11 stating that two of the five personnel, including the data entry operator, were withdrawn from poll duties. In a letter to the EC, Mr. Pant said the government has started an internal inquiry and disciplinary steps on government officers who have “consistently demonstrated sincerity and competence” would be “disproportionately harsh”.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also publicly said no action will be taken against the officials.

Reacting on social media, BJP leader Amit Malviya said the State government has “blinked and partially complied with the EC’s order”. “It must be clear to everyone that Mamata Banerjee is not above the law, and neither is West Bengal outside the ambit of federal laws,” he said.