Election Commission suspends 7 West Bengal officials over ‘serious misconduct’ linked to SIR | India News
NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has ordered the immediate suspension of seven West Bengal govt officials at the level of assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs), for “serious misconduct,dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers” in connection with the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) process in the state.The commission has all directed the West Bengal chief secretary to ensure that disciplinary proceedings are initiated against all the seven officers.
The officials suspended with immediate effect include AEROs of Samserganj assembly constituency (AC); Farakka AC; Maynaguri AC; Suti AC; Canning Purbo AC; and Debra AC.According to sources, it was observed that all these officers, during scrutiny of cases parked for final publication in respective ACs, had cleared multiple cases despite non-submission of prescribed documents, inconsistencies in mapping and eligibility of electors and failed to take corrective action, thereby approving ineligible cases and misusing their statutory powers.“Using its powers under Section 13CC of the RP Act 1950, the Election Commission of India has placed under suspension 7 officials in West Bengal with immediate effect for serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with SIR,” EC said in its order on Monday.The Commission, while ordering initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the officials by their respective cadre controlling authorities “without any delay”, said it should be apprised in this regard.The suspended officers are Sefaur Rahaman, AERO of Samserganj AC in Murshidabad district and assistant director in agriculture department; Nitish Das, Farakka revenue officer and AERO for Farakka AC;Dalia Ray Choudhury, women development officer, Maynaguri and AERO of Maynaguri AC; and Murshid Alam, ADA, Suti block & AERO for Suti AC. Two AEROs were suspended in Canning Purbo AC, namely Satyajit Das, joint block development officer (BDO) and Joydeep Kundu, FEO. The seventh official acted against by EC is Debashis Biswas, joint BDO and AERO of Debra AC.
