In a significant move ahead of upcoming elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has handpicked 15 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and 10 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers from West Bengal to serve as Special Roll Observers (SROs) in other states. This deployment is part of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise aimed at ensuring the accuracy of electoral rolls.
The decision was formalized through a communication sent to the West Bengal secretariat in Nabanna on Wednesday. The selected officers have been instructed to attend a mandatory two-day training session scheduled for February 5-6. Post-training, their specific assignments to various states will be announced, underscoring ECI’s proactive approach to maintaining electoral integrity.
However, this unilateral action by the ECI has sparked fresh controversy with the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Sources reveal that the state government deliberately ignored three successive communications from the poll body requesting nominations for SRO roles. Left with no choice, the ECI proceeded to select the officers independently.
Adding fuel to the fire, the list includes West Bengal’s Home Secretary, Jagdish Prasad Meena, prompting TMC to question the ECI’s authority to appoint a state home secretary to such a position in another state. TMC state vice-president Jayprakash Majumdar accused the commission of acting on BJP’s behest, labeling it a ‘conspiracy’ ahead of polls in five states this year.
“The BJP is orchestrating this from behind the scenes,” Majumdar alleged, arguing that officers from non-poll states could have been utilized instead. BJP state vice-president Jagnnath Chattopadhyay dismissed these claims, affirming that the ECI follows standard procedures for such appointments.
This development highlights ongoing tensions between the ECI and the West Bengal government, raising questions about bureaucratic cooperation in electoral preparations. As training commences, all eyes are on how these SROs will contribute to seamless voter list revisions across states, potentially setting a precedent for future interventions.
