The poll body invoked its powers under electoral law and accused the officers of “serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with SIR,” as per news agency PTI.
All seven suspended personnel were serving as assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) on deputation from the West Bengal state government.
Booth-level officers, electoral registration officers and their assistants are typically state employees assigned to support the Election Commission in updating voter lists and conducting elections.
The Commission has directed West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty to immediately begin disciplinary proceedings against the officers through their respective cadre-controlling authorities and to keep the Commission informed of progress, as per PTI.
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The development comes amid continuing tensions between the Commission and the state’s ruling All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) party over the SIR exercise.
Officials named and revised SIR timeline
The suspended officials include Dr Sefaur Rahaman of the Agriculture Department, Nitish Das of Farakka, Dalia Ray Choudhury of Maynaguri, Sk. Murshid Alam of Suti, Satyajit Das and Joydeep Kundu of Canning Purbo, and Debashis Biswas of Debra, as per news agency ANI.
Each of them was functioning as an AERO in their respective Assembly constituencies.
West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer had issued a revised schedule for the SIR process following directions from the Supreme Court of India.
The updated West Bengal SIR scheduleÂ
Under the updated timeline, hearings on notices were to be completed by February 14, while scrutiny of documents and disposal of claims will conclude by February 21, as per ANI.
The rationalisation of polling stations is scheduled for completion by February 25, followed by health parameter checks by February 27. The final electoral roll is now set to be published on February 28, as per ANI.
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The revised schedule follows a Supreme Court judgment granting a one-week extension for finalising the rolls.
The Court also issued a show-cause notice to the state’s Director General of Police over allegations of violence and the burning of election records during the revision process.
