West Bengal Registers FIRs Against Poll Officials Following EC Directive

PTI, Kolkata, Feb 18, 2026:  Acting on an ultimatum issued by the Election Commission, the Government of West Bengal on Tuesday registered FIRs against five state government employees, including two Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), over alleged “grave lapses” and violations of data security norms during electoral roll revisions.

The action came nearly six months after the Commission directed the state to initiate criminal proceedings against the officials. Police complaints were filed only hours before the EC-set deadline of 5 pm.

The development coincided with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reiterating that the state government would stand by its employees and describing the move as “not to be taken seriously”.

The officials — Debottam Dutta Chowdhury and Tathagata Mandal, ERO and AERO of Baruipur Purba respectively; Biplab Sarkar and Sudipta Das, ERO and AERO of Moyna; and Surojit Halder, a data entry operator — were accused of sharing login credentials with unauthorised persons, enabling the insertion of fictitious names into electoral rolls and failing to discharge mandatory duties.

The alleged irregularities pertained to the Baruipur Purba Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district and Moyna Assembly constituency in Purba Medinipur. The EC had, in August last year, directed the state government to suspend the officials and register FIRs after detecting professional misconduct during the electoral roll exercise.

While the state had suspended the officials, it initially refrained from filing FIRs, describing the lapses as “unintentional mistakes”. Citing provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the Commission rejected this stand, issued reminders in January and fixed February 17 as the deadline.

Last month, the poll panel also questioned the disciplinary proceedings undertaken by the state, which had reportedly cleared three officials and imposed minor penalties on another.

Speaking at a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat, Banerjee said, “We have carried out the Commission’s instructions out of courtesy for the poll body. But these things need not be taken seriously. Multiple FIRs were lodged against me when I protested the NRC exercise in Assam. This is not a major problem. We will stand with the officers of the state. There is law that has to be followed and if there are violations to it, then the law will take its own course.”

She added, “Remember, the officers weren’t allowed to defend themselves. I know officers who have worked night and day for this exercise. They will keep working in roles other than those related to elections, no one will lose their jobs. If the EC demotes any officer of the state, then I will promote them.”

In a related development, three Electoral Roll Micro Observers were suspended following reports submitted by EC-appointed observers, with officials stating that failure to personally discharge assigned responsibilities would invite strict accountability.