Suvendu Adhikari flags officers sharing counting day duty details, urges ECI action

Kolkata, May 3 Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and the BJP candidate for Bhabanipur, has claimed that several officers assigned to counting duties have revealed their information to their respective departmental organisations and associations. He stated that this could significantly endanger the counting process scheduled for Monday and threaten its impartiality.

In an X post on Sunday, Adhikari said, "It has come to my notice that several Officers assigned for Counting Day duties are reportedly disclosing their specific duty details, locations, and designations to their respective departmental organizations and associations. I have received information that spreadsheets and lists are being circulated where Officers are voluntarily or under pressure filling out their 'Election Duty Info,' including specific roles in the counting process."

The BJP leader shared screenshots of such WhatsApp messages to make his claim.

"This is a grave violation of election protocols, and may draw:- 1. Risk of Undue Influence: When an Officer's specific deployment is known to a politically tilted organisation or union, it opens the doors for unnecessary political influence and intimidation, 2. Threat to Neutrality: The sanctity of the counting process relies on the confidentiality of personnel deployment. Any breach of this secrecy directly affects the impartiality of the results, 3. Pressure Tactics: Such 'data collection' by associations is often a veiled attempt to put pressure on Officers to favour the ruling dispensation during the crucial counting hours," he wrote on X.

The BJP leader urged the Election Commission to take note of the matter and issue directives to prohibit officers from disclosing their duty details on the counting day.

"I strongly urge the Election Commission of India and the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, to take immediate cognizance of this matter, and issue strict directives prohibiting any Officer from disclosing their assigned counting duty to any organization or association. Also, kindly initiate a probe into these organizations that are collecting such sensitive deployment data," said Adhikari.

Counting of votes for 293 Assembly constituencies, which went to polls in two-phase Assembly elections, will be held on Monday across 77 counting centres in West Bengal.

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