Election Commission takes major action, another officer in Bengal faces action

News Topical, Digital Desk : The Election Commission has taken a tough stand after major negligence and irregularities were revealed in the voter list revision process in Bengal. Another officer in Bengal has been punished. The Commission has issued an order suspending Sumitrapritm Pradhan, Block Development Officer (BDO) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of Basirhat-2 block in North 24 Parganas district, with immediate effect.

Strict instructions given to the Chief Secretary

The Election Commission has sent a letter to the state's Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, asking her to ensure strict action against Sumitra Pratim Pradhan. The Commission has directed that the official not only be suspended but also be immediately removed from all duties related to voter lists.

He has also been ordered to initiate a departmental inquiry into allegations of indiscipline against him. The Commission has set a 48-hour deadline for the Chief Secretary to comply with these instructions.

Illegal appointments cracked down

The seriousness of the matter can be gauged from the fact that the Commission has cancelled all hearings conducted by the concerned officer. It is alleged that BDO Sumitrapratim Pradhan exceeded his jurisdiction and, contrary to the rules, appointed 11 government employees as additional AEROs.

These employees conducted several hearings for voter list revisions, which have now been declared invalid by the Election Commission. The state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Manoj Kumar Agarwal, has been informed that all these hearings will now be conducted anew and under the supervision of legitimate officials.

Warning of jail and fine for negligence

With this action, the Election Commission has issued a strong message, warning that any deliberate error or illegal activity in voter list work will not be tolerated.

If any irregularities are found in the electoral process, the person involved could face imprisonment for three months to two years and a heavy fine. It should be noted that the Election Commission had previously ordered the suspension of four more state officials in connection with irregularities in the voter list.

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