The Election Commission on Wednesday sent a letter to Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty, reminding her that the state government had not implemented a series of directives and asked her to comply with them by 3pm on February 9.
The letter, sources said, assumed significance as it came soon after chief minister Mamata Banerjee's appearance in the Bengal SIR hearing in the Supreme Court.
The EC pointed out five points of non-compliance. First, FIRs were not filed against four state government officers accused of inserting fictitious voters as EROs and AEROs in Baruipur East and Moyna Assembly constituencies. Second, the EC said the state did not suspend the BDO-cum-AERO of Basirhat -II despite a directive in this regard, as the officer had allegedly deployed 11 AEROs on his own to conduct hearings. Third, the state government did not obey the directive of revoking transfers of three IAS officers appointed as roll observers by the poll panel. Fourth, the poll panel held Nabanna responsible for not appointing SDO/SDM-ranked officers as EROs in most places. Fifth, Nabanna did not appoint SDO/SDM-ranked officers as returning officers in most Assembly segments despite repeated requests from Nirvachan Sadan.
On Wednesday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee argued in the top court that the EC appointed central government bureaucrats as micro-observers in violation of norms. "The EC in turn said it was forced to appoint central government officers as micro-observers as the state government did not provide enough officers in the SDO or SDM rank. Now, it has sent the letter to justify its decision to appoint micro-observers," said an official.
Highly placed sources said it was clear from the letter that the EC would flag the state's "uncooperative attitude" in the next hearing.
"The EC will definitely raise the non-compliance to justify its steps and corner the state government. Fact is that the state has given a weapon to the EC by not implementing its directives," said a bureaucrat.
Another official said there were 294 EROs in the state — one each for every Assembly segment — but only 69 SDOs as Bengal has 69 subdivisions spread across 23 districts. "Now, it remains to be seen if the state deputes officers of SDO/SDM rank in each Assembly segment as EROs and returning officers. So far, the state was engaging BDOs or similar ranked officers in these posts as state cadre officers are said to be closer to the ruling dispensation," said a source.