Election Commission Requests Report from West Bengal Chief Secretary on Illegal Voter List Additions

The Election Commission has requested a report from the West Bengal chief secretary regarding actions taken against officials accused of illegally adding voters to electoral rolls in two districts. The commission seeks clarification on the lack of disciplinary measures.

The Election Commission (EC) has demanded a report from West Bengal's chief secretary within 72 hours. This follows allegations against four state officials for unlawfully adding names to voter lists in two districts. The EC had earlier advised suspending these officials and initiating criminal proceedings. The accused officials are Debottam Dutta Chowdhury, Biplab Sarkar, Tathagat Mondal, and Sudipto Das.

The alleged irregularities occurred in Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas districts. The EC's letter to the chief secretary referenced an earlier directive dated 5 August 2025. This directive called for the suspension of the officials and the initiation of disciplinary actions, including filing FIRs against them.

Action Against Alleged Irregularities

Despite repeated instructions, former Chief Secretary Manoj Pant reportedly did not act on the EC's directives. The EC official stated, "Even after our repeated orders, FIRs were not filed." Consequently, district magistrates have now been asked to take action.

The situation intensified when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the EC of intimidating state officials during a meeting in Jhargram. The state's Home Department's special commissioner had requested the withdrawal of the FIR directive, arguing it was excessive for minor mistakes.

Ensuring Electoral Integrity

The EC has remained firm on its stance, stating that no lapses in implementing electoral law will be tolerated. Before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the poll body instructed the state government to suspend the officials and conduct inquiries into the alleged addition of ghost voters.

In compliance with a Supreme Court order dated 19 January 2026, the EC also communicated with West Bengal's chief secretary and police director general. They were directed to maintain strict law and order during SIR proceedings.

Directives for SIR Proceedings

The EC outlined that SIR-related document collection and hearings should occur at gram panchayat bhavans, block offices, public places at taluka levels, and ward offices in urban areas. Adequate manpower must be provided by the state government to assist the chief electoral officer.

District collectors and police superintendents have been instructed to deploy sufficient staff and forces to ensure smooth SIR proceedings. The EC warned that any disruption or non-compliance would lead to strict action.

Assurances from Election Commission

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar assured West Bengal residents that no one would be allowed to flout the law. He promised stringent action against any such attempts. In a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, the EC emphasized strict adherence to Supreme Court orders regarding SIR.

The letter detailed steps for publicly displaying affected voters' names, document submission through authorised representatives, and mandatory hearings by ERO/AERO. All authorities were instructed to ensure full implementation of these directions promptly.

The EC's actions aim to uphold electoral integrity in West Bengal by addressing alleged voter list irregularities and ensuring compliance with legal directives during SIR proceedings.

With inputs from PTI