KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday summoned West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, directing him to appear in person at the ECI headquarters, Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi, by 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Amid the ongoing imbroglio between the state administration and the ECI over the suspension of five officials, including a casual data entry operator, the development assumes significance.According to sources at Nabanna, the state administrative headquarters, the Chief Secretary will leave for Delhi on a morning flight on Wednesday.The ECI had on 5 August asked the West Bengal Chief Secretary to suspend four officials and a casual worker of the state for alleged irregularities in the registration of names in the voter lists. The ECI also ordered that an FIR be registered against these four officials and a data entry operator, posted in South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts respectively, for alleged ‘criminal activities’.The ECI asked the West Bengal government to suspend ERO (Electoral Registration Officer) and AERO (Additional Electoral Registration Officer) of Baruipur Purba Assembly constituency, Debotttam Dutta Choudhury and Tathagata Mondal, and ERO Biplab Sarkar, Sudipta Das, and the AERO of Moyna Assembly constituency.After receiving no response on the matter, the ECI on 8 August gave a 72-hour deadline to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to implement its order to suspend the four officials and submit a compliance report by 3 p.m. on 11 August.In a letter written to Sujeet Kumar Mishra, Secretary, ECI, on Monday, Pant informed him that as a first step, Sudipta Das, AERO of Moyna Assembly constituency, and Surojit Halder, the data entry operator of Baruipur Purba Assembly constituency, had been withdrawn from electoral revision and election-related duties. He also stated that no action was being taken against the rest at the moment.In his letter on Monday, Pant said, “Pursuant to your letter, an internal enquiry into the issue as well as a comprehensive review of the existing processes and procedures governing the conduct of the said exercise has been undertaken.”Any disciplinary measure on state government officers who have “consistently demonstrated sincerity and competence” would be “disproportionately harsh”, Pant wrote to the ECI.“Such an action could have a demoralising impact not only on the individuals concerned but also on the broader team of officers engaged in electoral responsibilities and other administrative functions,” he added.Attacking the West Bengal government on this issue, BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul on Tuesday said, “The Chief Secretary has talked about forming an internal enquiry committee, which is a complete eye wash. These officials have done the irregularities on the instruction of the state government. We demand exemplary punishment to these officials as well as the Chief Secretary from the ECI.”Ends
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