ECI irked over delay in registering FIRs against poll officers 'manipulating' voters' enrolment

Kolkata, Jan 11 The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken exception to the unnecessary delay on the part of two District Magistrates, also the District Electoral Officers, in West Bengal, over the delay in registering FIRs against four electoral officers in the state accused of manipulations in the enrolment of voters.

The Commission, on Saturday, sent reminders to the District Magistrates and District Electoral Officers of South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts, through the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, not to further delay the process of registering FIRs against these four electoral officers.

Two of the four officers against whom the CEO's office has been directed to register the FIRs are the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of Baruipur East Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district, Debottam Dutta Chowdhury, and the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of the same centre, Tathagata Mandal.

The other two officers are the ERO of Moyna Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district, Biplob Sarkar, and the AERO of that centre, Sudipta Das.

Sources in the CEO's office said that this is the third time the Commission emphasised registering the FIRs against these four electoral officers.

The first direction from the Commission in this matter came in August last year, when it instructed the West Bengal government to suspend these four electoral officers and also register FIRs against them.

But the West Bengal government partially implemented that order. Although these four officers were suspended, FIRs were not registered against them. Additionally, one contractual Data Entry Operator was also relieved of his duties.

Then again, earlier this month, the ECI gave instructions to the two District Magistrates, as well as the District Electoral Officers, concerned to register FIRs against these four electoral officers.

On being informed that the FIRs in the matter have not been registered yet, the Commission, on Saturday, further reminded the two District Magistrates concerned to do the same.

These four officers were accused of tampering with the voters' list.

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