Voter list anomalies: 2 removed from poll duties & 3 being probed, chief secy writes to EC
Times of India | 12 August 2025
Kolkata: Bengal govt on Monday told the Election Commission (EC) that it was inquiring against four state officers and a data entry operator whom the poll body wanted to be suspended, and FIRs drawn up.
EC secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra had sent a reminder to chief secretary Manoj Pant on Aug 8 with a Monday 3pm deadline to send a compliance report on action against the four officers. The state said one officer and the operator have been removed from election duties, including voter roll revision.
Pant wrote to the EC: "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 demoralizing impact not only on the individuals concerned but also on the broader team of officers engaged in electoral responsibilities and other administrative functions.
"
Pant said a final action-taken report would be given to EC once the "inquiries are completed".
The officers are facing charges of irregularities over anomalies in the voters' list in Moyna (East Midnapore) and Baruipur East (South 24-Parganas) constituencies. The four officers under EC scanner are Debottam Dutta Choudhury (electoral registration officer) and Tathagata Mondal (assistant ERO) from Baruipur East, and Biplab Sarkar (ERO) and Sudipta Das (AERO) of Moyna. The poll panel also demanded action against data operator Surojit Halder of Baruipur East.
Pant told the EC that the services of Moyna AERO Das and Halder have been withdrawn from election duties.
Pant, in his letter, added: "You will kindly appreciate that district-level officials and field officers have a wide range of responsibilities and functions assigned to them by their appointing authorities, in addition to the electoral roll revision work and other election-related work, which are time-bound tasks. Therefore, there are occasions where certain functions are delegated to subordinate staff in good faith.
"The EC had sought action against the five "for their failure in supervising election-related work".
Pant's report stated that "an internal inquiry into the issue as well as a comprehensive review of the existing process and procedures governing the conduct of the said exercise has been undertaken".
Among the four, two are WBCS (exe) officers, for which the WBCS (executive) Officers' Association wrote to Pant urging him to take up the matter with the EC and pleaded with him to reconsider their suspension.
Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays, public holidays, and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.