The Election Commission suspended Basirhat II BDO Sumitra Pratim Pradhan for violating electoral rules, declared related AERO appointments null and void, and ordered corrective action in West Bengal. (File)
The Election Commission (EC) has sent three senior officers to West Bengal to oversee the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
Earlier, the EC teams had visited the state twice to oversee the exercise in the state – both led by senior Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti. While they visited parts of the state for a few days and focused on certain districts, the three senior EC officers, who reached Kolkata on Thursday, are likely to camp in the state until the SIR exercise is wrapped up by February.
“BC Patra, Soumyajit Ghosh, and Bibhor Agarwal are very experienced officers and have been working with the Election Commission for a very long period. They have a wide knowledge of the SIR process and are experts in its legal aspects. So, we will take their suggestions for the complications that may likely be raised during the SIR process,” a senior EC official said.
Meanwhile, the State Chief Electoral Office is looking for a new space to accommodate additional staff members involved in the SIR exercise.
“We are now searching for a new office premises with more space. We have seen an office of the Shipping Corporation of India on the Strand Road in Kolkata, which is near to the present office at Dalhousie. CEO Manoj Agarwal visited the place. However, nothing is finalised yet. We are also looking into other office spaces in central Kolkata,” a senior official in the state Chief Electoral Office told The Indian Express.
This comes a day after the EC wrote to Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma, alleging “serious security breach” during the ongoing protest by booth-level officers (BLOs) at the Chief Electoral Officer’s office, and sought an action-taken report within 48 hours.
“The existing security in the office of the CEO appeared to be inadequate to handle the situation, which could lead to a threat to the safety and security of the EC officials and staff,” the letter said.
Story continues below this ad
The EC also instructed the police to implement all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the officers and staff assigned to the office of CEO Manoj Agarwal, including their safety at home and during their commutes.
Earlier, CEO Manoj Agarwal had written to the state government for allotting additional office space. With Nabanna, the state secretariat, yet to respond, the state CEO began scouting for the space. Since the Shipping Corporation of India comes under the Union Ministry of Shipping, the EC would likely not find it difficult to use its space.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
