ECI asks Bengal govt to suspend four officers by 3 pm on Aug 11 over discrepancies in electoral rolls

The ECI has asked the state government to suspend the officers by 3 pm on August 11.

In a letter sent to the local administration, the poll body wrote, "No compliance report, indicating specific action taken against the officers, has been received in the Commission so far. The commission has directed that necessary action against the officers shall be taken immediately and a compliance report be furnished to the commission, latest by 3 pm on August 11."

The letter was sent a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the ECI for ordering the suspension over discrepancies in electoral rolls.

She said her government won't suspend the officers claiming the administration will be under the ECI only during the polls.

"In the name of the voter list, BJP wants to form a party list. Not a single name should be removed. Forget the party or political party, you must protect your own identity. Government officials are being threatened. Yesterday, two officers were sent notices and suspended. The election has not even been announced yet.

"Under which law can you send notices and suspend people? They are saying FIRs will be filed. This will not happen. I will not allow this. There is no need to be afraid," the Chief Minister said.

Among the four who have been ordered to be suspended, two are Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and the other two are Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO).

The ECI has directed the West Bengal Chief Secretary to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the four officers and a data entry operator.

The discrepancies have emerged from Baruipur Purba and Moyna assembly constituencies.

The letter was sent to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant.