EC suspends 7 Bengal AEROs over “serious misconduct" in SIR process

In a strong assertion of its authority during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended seven officials in West Bengal with immediate effect. Invoking its powers under Section 13CC of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the commission cited serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers as grounds for the punitive action.

According to the commission, the action was triggered by procedural violations during the SIR exercise. In several cases, documents not prescribed under the SIR guidelines were uploaded into the system. In others, officials allegedly shared official passwords with third parties, raising concerns over data integrity and security in a process central to maintaining accurate electoral rolls.

The ECI has directed the Chief Secretary of West Bengal to initiate immediate disciplinary proceedings against the suspended officials through their respective cadre-controlling authorities. The state administration has also been instructed to keep the commission informed about the progress of these proceedings, underlining what officials describe as one of the most stringent interventions in the SIR process so far.

Sources within the commission indicated that repeated communications had been sent to the West Bengal administration since August, urging action against the erring officials. However, with no concrete steps reportedly taken, the commission moved to intervene directly. Last week, the Chief Secretary was summoned and asked to comply with the EC’s directions by February 17.

The suspended officials include Dr Sefaur Rahaman (AERO, 56-Samserganj), Nitish Das (AERO, 55-Farakka), Dalia Ray Choudhury (AERO, 16-Maynaguri), Sk. Murshid Alam (AERO, 57-Suti), Satyajit Das and Joydeep Kundu (both AEROs, 139-Canning Purbo), and Debashis Biswas (AERO, 229-Debra). The commission’s latest move signals a clear message that any deviation from electoral norms during the SIR exercise will invite strict consequences.