SIR in Bengal: The Election Commission (EC) has asked the Chief Secretary of West Bengal to report within 72 hours on the action taken against four state government officials accused of illegally adding names to electoral rolls in two constituencies, a senior official of the election body told PTI.
The EC had earlier recommended that Election Registration Officers (ERO) Debottam Dutta Chowdhury and Biplab Sarkar and ERO assistants Tathagat Mondal and Sudipto Das be suspended and criminal proceedings initiated against them for alleged irregularities.
Four officials allegedly illegally included names of voters in electoral rolls in Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts.
“You are requested to refer to the Commission’s letter dated 05.08.2025 in which instructions have been issued to suspend and initiate appropriate disciplinary proceedings against the concerned ERO/AERO and to lodge an FIR against the erring officials,” the EC said in a letter to the Chief Secretary, according to a PTI report.
The chief secretary has been asked to explain why the guidelines have not been implemented by 5 pm on January 24, a commission official said. The inquiry panel had initially directed filing of FIRs against officials. However, former chief secretary Manoj Pant allegedly did not act on the instructions.
“Even after our repeated orders, the FIR has not been lodged. We have now asked the concerned district magistrates to take action,” said an EC official.
Mamata Banerjee blames EC
The matter escalated after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in a meeting in Jhargram that state government officials were being intimidated by the EC.
The Home Ministry’s special commissioner has written to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer requesting withdrawal of the FIR, saying it will be a “major punishment for minor mistakes”.
The CEO reportedly forwarded the letter to Delhi, but the EC remained firm and stressed, “No delay in the implementation of the Election Act will be overlooked.
Ahead of the special intensive review (SIR), the election body ordered the state government to suspend officials, conduct ministerial inquiries and lodge an FIR for allegedly adding “ghost voters” to the rolls.
“Measures must be taken to ensure the integrity of the electoral rolls,” the electoral body said at the time.
In compliance with the Supreme Court order dated January 19, 2026, the EC has also written to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, West Bengal to ensure strict maintenance of law and order during the SIR.
The EC further directed the DGP, Kolkata Police Commissioner and District Superintendents of Police to ensure that no law and order situations arise at SIR sites and warned that strict action would be taken in case of any non-compliance or violation.
