A dispute is emerging between the Election Commission of India and the West Bengal government regarding the suspension of electoral officers who violated ECI guidelines during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision in the state. The government believes suspension only involves removing these officers from electoral duties, allowing them to take on other administrative roles. However, sources from the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO), West Bengal, claim that the ECI defines suspension as not only withdrawing officers from electoral duties but also from any administrative tasks.
The ECI has instructed the state government to begin departmental proceedings against the suspended officers. Questions arise about the fairness of these proceedings if the officers remain in their administrative positions. The ECI is closely monitoring whether the state government will comply with initiating a departmental probe against the suspended officers.
Political analysts suggest that even if the state government maintains its stance on the meaning of suspension, the ECI could still take further action against the officers once the model code of conduct is enforced for the upcoming Assembly elections. Under the Representation of the People Act, the ECI has the authority to penalize these suspended officers. The ECI has suspended two electoral registration officers (EROs), nine assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs), one data-entry operator, and three micro-observers, with the micro-observers being Central government officials and the rest being state government employees.
