The Election Commission has asked the director general of police, Rajeev Kumar, to send an action- taken report by January 6 on the “serious and disturbing incidents” that occurred during the visit of C. Murugan, the electoral roll observer, to parts of South 24-Parganas last week.
The letter sent to the DGP on Saturday assumed significance as officials felt that the poll panel was leaving no stone unturned to tighten the screws on the Bengal government after Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee had met chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi on December 31.
“On Friday, the EC asked us to lodge FIRs against four Bengal government officials even though it remained silent since August last year when the state government suspended the officials but did not follow the order to lodge FIRs against them. Now, the EC took up the incidents involving the electoral observer that occurred on December 29 to send a strong message to the state,” said a state government official, adding that it could have a connection with the visit of Abhishek to the Nirvachan Sadan on December 31.
Sources said that Murugan had visited SIR hearing camps in Mograhat 1 and 2 and
Kulpi blocks in the Diamond Harbour subdivision, the strongholds of Abhishek, on December 29.
“Further, it has also been noticed that incidents of sloganeering, mob gathering, obstruction of official work and damage to the Observer’s vehicle have been reported. Further an FIR has been filed on 29.12.2025 against 30-40 unknown, unruly and agitated persons that too after repeated efforts. These incidents reflect serious lapses on the part of the police administration,” reads the letter sent to the DGP.
The poll panel mentioned that it noticed from the reports of the observer as well as the Bengal CEO, Manoj Agarwal, that adequate security arrangements were not made and Murugan was compelled to move through sensitive areas without proper police protection, though the SDO and the SP had been intimated in advance.
“The commission has viewed these lapses seriously and directs you to furnish and Action Taken Report (ATR) on the said incidents, including details of police action taken, follow up measures and steps initiated to fix responsibility, latest by Tuesday, 06.01.2026 by 5:00 PM, to the Commission,” the letter reads.
The commission also directed the DGP to engage a senior police officer with adequate police arrangements that should accompany electoral or special electoral roll observers during their field visits in Bengal to ensure their safety.
