Bengal: ECI ‘irked’ with DMs for delay in FIRs against ‘errant’ poll officers

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken a serious view of what it termed an unnecessary delay by two district magistrates in West Bengal in registering FIRs against four electoral officers accused of 'manipulating' voter enrolment records.

On Saturday, the commission sent reminders to the district magistrates-cum-district electoral officers of South 24-Parganas and East Midnapore districts through the office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), West Bengal, directing them to immediately register FIRs against the accused officials.

The four officers include Debottam Dutta Chowdhury, electoral registration officer (ERO), and Tathagata Mandal, assistant electoral registration officer (AERO), of the Baruipur East Assembly constituency in South 24-Parganas, as well as Biplob Sarkar, ERO, and Sudipta Das, AERO, of the Moyna assembly constituency in East Midnapore.

Sources in the CEO’s office said this was the third time the ECI had reiterated its directive to lodge FIRs in the matter. The commission had first issued instructions in August last year, asking the West Bengal government to suspend the four officers and initiate criminal proceedings against them.

While the state government suspended the officials and relieved a contractual data entry operator of his duties, FIRs were not registered at that time. The ECI again directed the concerned district magistrates earlier this month to initiate criminal action, but the orders were not complied with.

After being informed that FIRs were still pending, the commission issued fresh reminders on Saturday, urging immediate compliance.

The four officers are accused of tampering with the voters’ list during the enrolment process.

With IANS inputs