Election Commission Selects IAS and IPS Officers from West Bengal as Special Roll Observers for Electoral Roll Revision in Other States; TMC Raises Objections
In a significant move, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed 15 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and 10 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from West Bengal as Special Roll Observers (SROs) for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in states outside West Bengal.
A formal communiqué from the Commission was dispatched to the West Bengal Secretariat, Nabanna, instructing the selected officers to participate in a two-day training programme scheduled for February 5 and 6. Following the training, the Commission will finalize the allocation of states where these officers will be deputed as SROs.
Training Before Deployment
Officials confirmed that the training programme will acquaint the officers with the procedures, responsibilities, and legal framework governing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. The final deployment will be determined after assessing the requirements of individual states once the training concludes.
ECI’s Unilateral Decision
According to sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the Commission was compelled to act unilaterally after the West Bengal government failed to respond to three consecutive communiqués seeking names of eligible IAS and IPS officers. With no cooperation forthcoming, the ECI directly selected officers to ensure that the SIR exercise in other states was not disrupted.
Fresh Rift Between ECI and TMC
The decision has sparked a new confrontation between the Commission and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal. The party has strongly objected to the unilateral appointment of officers without consultation with the state government.
Controversy Over Inclusion of Home Secretary
One of the most contentious points is the inclusion of West Bengal Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena among the 15 IAS officers chosen as SROs. The TMC has questioned whether the Commission possesses the authority to appoint a serving state Home Secretary as an observer in another state, arguing that such a move raises serious administrative and constitutional concerns.
TMC Alleges Political Conspiracy
TMC state Vice-President Jaiprakash Majumdar alleged that the Commission’s decision was politically motivated and orchestrated at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“This unilateral action of the Commission is yet another conspiracy. The BJP is doing it from behind. Elections will be held in five states of India this year. In the states where there are no elections, work could have been carried out with SROs from those states only. The BJP is desperately making all these game plans,” Majumdar stated.
BJP Denies Allegations
In response, BJP state Vice-President Jagannath Chattopadhyay categorically denied any involvement of his party, asserting that the Commission was merely following established procedures.
“This is the normal procedure followed by the Election Commission of India while appointing Special Roll Observers,” Chattopadhyay said.
Political Tensions Ahead of Elections
The development has further strained relations between the ECI and the West Bengal government at a time when assembly elections are scheduled in five states this year. With training dates approaching and officer deployment pending, the controversy is expected to intensify, adding another dimension to the already charged political atmosphere.
