West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday came down heavily on the Election Commission for ordering the suspension of five officials of the state government over alleged irregularities in voter registration.
Accusing the Election Commission (EC) of acting as a “bonded labourer” of the BJP, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo asserted that she would protect the employees of the state government at any cost.
“The state government employees are being intimidated. The officers were served suspension notices yesterday. Have the elections even been announced yet? Which law allows them to be suspended at this stage? It is our responsibility to protect you all. We will do that. We will not suspend them… I will continue to be your pehredar (guard),” the chief minister said at a public meeting in Jhargram.
“They have started suspending people even though a long time is left before the elections. They (ECI) are the bonded labour of the BJP. They are doing the dalali (tout work) of (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah and the BJP. The home minister thinks whatever he says will happen,” Mamata charged.
On Tuesday, the EC ordered suspension and registration of an FIR against two West Bengal Civil Service officers serving as Electoral Registration Officers, two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers from Baruipur Purba and Moyna Assembly constituencies, and a data entry operator.
The EC’s investigation was prompted by a report from the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, highlighting alleged irregularities. Following the report, the ECI wrote to the state’s Chief Secretary, directing immediate action.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Civil Services (Executive) Officers’ Association wrote to Chief Secretary Manoj Pant on Wednesday, seeking his intervention to get the EC’s suspension order “reviewed”.
“It is our understanding that the officers concerned have been discharging their responsibilities sincerely under challenging circumstances and had no deliberate or mala fide intent behind any procedural lapse, if any, that may have occurred,” it stated.
“The suspension, in this context, appears to be a harsh measure and has caused deep concern among the officer community, potentially affecting morale during a period when dedication and neutrality in public service are most needed,” the letter stated, according to PTI.
The officers’ body stated it believes that administrative action, particularly those which affected the service records and morale of career officers, “ought to be considered within the framework of fairness, due diligence and proportionality”.
It urged the chief secretary to take up the matter with appropriate authorities, including the Election Commission, and “consider a review of the suspension order issued, ensuring that justice is meted out with empathy and fairness”. With PTI