ECI suspends seven WB officials; directs Chief Secretary to initiate disciplinary action

All the officers were working as assistant electoral registration officers and were suspended for misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with SIR.

Election Commission of India (File Photo | Express)

NEW DELHI: Using its powers under the electoral law, the Election Commission has suspended seven officials in West Bengal with immediate effect for serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with SIR.

All the concerned officers were working as assistant electoral registration officers for the EC.

The suspended officials as per the EC orders are: Dr. Sefaur Rahaman, Dalia Ray Choudhury, Nitish Das, Sk. Murshid Alam, Satyajit Das, Joydeep Kundu and Debashis Biswas.

Booth-level and electoral registration officers and their assistants are state government employees who work on deputation for the EC to update the voters' list and help hold elections.

Quoting orders, EC officials said the poll authority has directed state Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty that disciplinary proceedings be initiated against these officials by their respective cadre controlling authorities immediately, without any delay and the Commission be apprised in this regard.

The EC and the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal have been at loggerheads over the ongoing special intensive revision of the voters' list.

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)