‘Fake Voters’ Row: EC deadline ending, Mamata govt suspends 4 officials, but no FIR for now
Further action to be taken only after internal inquiry, Chief Secy tells poll panel
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During the hour-long closed-door meeting with the three commissioners of the poll panel in New Delhi, Pant reportedly told them that inquiries had been initiated against the officers, and action would follow based on the findings.
On the last day of the seven-day deadline given by the Election Commission (EC), the West Bengal government on Thursday evening issued an order suspending four officials against whom the poll panel had sought suspension as well as registration of FIRs for alleged fake voters’ list in two Assembly segments of the state.
The government, however, did not register an FIR against the officials.
“Two days ago, the administration decided to suspend the four officials, but we were waiting for the final confirmation from the Chief Minister’s Office. After getting the nod, the order was issued today evening. We have started department proceedings against the four officials. After its completion, we will decide whether to get an FIR registered against them,” said a senior state government official, adding Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has conveyed the same to the Election Commission in his compliance report.
The suspension order passed by the West Bengal Personnel and Administrative Department stated that “in exercise of the power conferred by Rule 7(1)(b)(a) of the West Bengal Services (Classification, Control & Appeal) Rules, 1971…” these officers were suspended with immediate effect.
The order comes more than two weeks after the EC on August 5 asked the state government to suspend and book four officials and a contractual employee for alleged fraudulent registration of 127 voters using forged documents in the Baruipur Purba and Moyna Assembly constituencies.
The four included two West Bengal Civil Service officers serving as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) – Debottam Dutta Choudhury (Baruipur Purba), and Biplab Sarkar (Moyna) – and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) – Tathagata Mondal (Baruipur), and Sudipta Das (Moyna).
The Commission also sought the same action against casual Data Entry Operator, Surojit Halder. He was suspended by the state government earlier.
Initially, the TMC government in West Bengal refused to take any action against the alleged errant officials, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly vowing to protect the state government employees against the EC’s “intimidation”.
On August 11, almost a week after the EC’s directive, West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant wrote to the poll panel that its proposed actions were “disproportionately harsh” with a “demoralising impact” on the state officers’ community. This led to the EC summoning Pant to New Delhi.
During the hour-long closed-door meeting with the three commissioners of the poll panel in New Delhi, Pant reportedly told them that inquiries had been initiated against the officers, and action would follow based on the findings.
However, the EC gave the West Bengal government a seven-day deadline to act on its directive.
On Pant’s return, the state government sought legal opinion on the issue.
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