The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued a firm directive to the West Bengal government, demanding action against four election officials found negligent in their duties by 3 PM on August 11. This ultimatum comes in response to a report submitted by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, which revealed serious lapses and misconduct related to the preparation and revision of electoral rolls.

The ECI has instructed the state government to immediately suspend the four officers and register First Information Reports (FIRs) against them. The implicated officers, who held positions as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), are accused of negligence in election-related work and of willfully divulging sensitive information to unauthorized individuals. The commission has also directed action against a casual data entry operator.

The core of the issue lies in the wrongful addition of names to the electoral rolls in Assembly Constituencies 137-Baruipur Purba (South 24 Parganas) and 206-Moyna (Purba Medinipur). The ECI's investigation revealed that the officers failed to properly perform their duties while processing voter applications. Furthermore, they violated data security protocols by sharing their login credentials for the electoral roll database with unauthorized individuals. In some instances, booth level officers (BLOs) were not sent to verify the names, which led to the inflation of electoral rolls with bogus voters.

The ECI views these violations as grave and has emphasized that such lapses cannot be tolerated. The commission has directed that disciplinary proceedings be initiated against the officers without delay. The ECI has also requested a compliance report from the state government, underscoring the urgency and seriousness of the matter.

This action by the ECI follows its instruction to the state CEO last week to begin preparations for a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls in West Bengal, ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled for next year. The ECI's decisive intervention highlights its commitment to ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the electoral process. By holding negligent officers accountable, the commission aims to prevent future malpractices and maintain the credibility of the electoral system. The ECI's actions demonstrate a zero-tolerance policy towards any activity that could undermine the fairness and transparency of elections.