The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended an assistant system manager posted in the Kakdwip subdivision office after he allegedly disposed of applications for the inclusion and deletion of names in and from electoral rolls by using the login credentials of an assistant election registration officer (AERO).
Sources said the poll panel sent a clear signal by suspending the official that it adopted a zero tolerance policy in making the electoral roll error-free after complaints came up over irregularities in the voters’ list.
The sources aware of the development said Arun Gorain, an assistant system manager posted in the Kakdwip subdivision, had inserted his mobile number in the log in credential of the AERO of the Kakdwip Assembly constituency and disposed of applications submitted for the inclusion and exclusion of names in and from the
voters’ list.
The sources said that it was considered to be gross misconduct by Gorain as the AERO, who was usually a BDO, had the sole authority to dispose of the applications. Since the assistant system manager has disposed of the applications using the credentials of the AERO, he violated all rules and was held responsible for “gross misconduct in the discharge of his assigned
official duties”.
“Now therefore, Sri Arun Gorain, ASM Kakdwip Sub Division is hereby placed under suspension as per provisions laid down under rules 7(1) (a) of part IV of the West Bengal Services (Classification, control and Appeal) Rules, 1971 with immediate effect pending completion of the major penalty proceedings to be initiated against him...,” reads an order issued by the chief electoral officer of Bengal, Manoj
Kumar Agarwal.
According to sources, as an assistant system manager, Gorain is well-versed in computers and could easily fudge the electoral roll.
Sources in the state administration said the order from Manoj Kumar Agarwal sent a clear message to the officials who would be engaged for summary roll revision scheduled to start in October.
“For the first time in recent memory, the poll panel used the West Bengal Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) rules, 1971, to suspect an official for his misconduct that could affect the revision of electoral rolls. In the past few years, the ECI often recommended to the state government to transfer an official to a non-election post in case complaints had come up,” said an official.
“All government officers — from block development officers (BDOs) to district magistrates (DMs) — would be on deputation to the ECI as soon as the summary roll revision starts in October. It is clear that if any irregularity is found during the roll revision, the ECI would come down heavily on the officials this time,” he added.
The poll panel’s effort to make an error-free electoral roll was visible after the names of nearly 9,000 dead and shifted voters were deleted from the voters’ list of the Kaliganj Assembly segment in Nadia district during a special summary roll revision carried out in April.
As the Assembly elections would be held in Bengal next year, the poll panel will keep a sharp watch on the summary roll revision in the state.
The ECI has asked the district magistrate of South 24-Parganas to lodge an FIR against the Gorain in an apparent bid to send a stronger signal to the officials in Bengal ahead of the summary roll revision.