The Election Commission of India has summoned the West Bengal chief secretary to its office at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi amid the ongoing tussle between the poll body and the state government over penal actions taken against four state officers.
On August 5 the ECI had directed the Mamata Banerjee-government to suspend four officers - two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) - and lodge FIRs against them, as well as a data entry operator, after the poll body accused them of adding names of fictitious voters to the electoral roll and compromising data security.
However, the state government withdrew only one officer and a data entry operator from election-related duties on Monday and initiated an inquiry.
“Manoj Pant, the West Bengal chief secretary, has been summoned to Delhi,” an ECI official said. Pant has been asked to appear at 5 pm on Wednesday.
After chief minister Mamata Banerjee made it clear that her government will not penalise the officers as directed by the ECI, the poll panel gave the state government a deadline till 3pm on Monday to submit a compliance report on the actions taken against the four officers and the data entry operator.
Pant, in his letter to ECI secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra, on Monday said only the services of AERO of Moyna AC and the data entry operator of Baruipur Purba were withdrawn from electoral revision and election-related duties.
{{/usCountry}}Pant, in his letter to ECI secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra, on Monday said only the services of AERO of Moyna AC and the data entry operator of Baruipur Purba were withdrawn from electoral revision and election-related duties.
{{/usCountry}}“Further action taken report will be submitted post completion of enquiry,” the chief secretary had said in his letter.
“Initiating proceedings before a detailed enquiry against these officers, who have consistently demonstrated sincerity and competence, may be a disproportionately harsh measure. Such an action could have a demoralising impact not only on the individuals but also on the broader team of officers engaged in electoral responsibilities and other administrative functions,” the letter added.