The Election Commission on Tuesday asked the Bengal government to revoke transfer orders of three IAS officers deputed as electoral roll observers (EROs) for districts as the transfers orders were issued without the poll panel's concurrence.

The stance of the EC was aimed at protecting other EROs from the state cadre to discharge their duties without fear, a poll panel source said.

The EC had appointed 12 IAS officers of Bengal cadre as Electoral Roll Observers for 24 districts in the state including Calcutta on November 28.

However, the Bengal government transferred three of these officers to comparatively less important positions, which many in the administrative circles suggested was result of their active role in the ongoing SIR exercise.

Among the trio, Smita Pandey, the ERO for West and East Burdwan and Birbhum. She was transferred to the Netaji Subhas Administrative Training Institute (NSATI) from the secretary of public enterprises and industrial reconstruction on January 21.

Randhir Kumar, the ERO for North 24-Parganas and North Calcutta, was transferred as secretary of state gazettes from his posting as director of treasuries and accounts on January 20.

Asvini Kumar Yadav, the ERO for North and South Dinajpur, was also transferred to NSATI an additional director from his posting of commissioner in the BCW and Tribal Development department on December 1.

But as these officers were on deemed deputation to the EC since they were appointed as EROs, it was mandatory to get concurrence of Nirvachan Sadan before transferring them.

"These officers are on deemed deputation to the Election Commission of India for the purpose of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)... In view of the above, I am directed to state that the transfer orders be cancelled. Further you are requested to obtain prior concurrence of the Commission before issuing such orders in future," reads a letter sent to the Bengal chief secretary, Nandini Chakravorty, by Sujeet Kumar Mishra, the secretary of the EC, on Tuesday.

The poll panel also asked the state to send a compliance report by 3pm on Wednesday.

Sources in the state administration said that chief minister Mamata Banerjee was annoyed with some of the officers appointed as EROs by the EC since she received complaints that some officers were "disturbing" the DM or the DEOs by seeking frequent reports on the SIR process.

"Soon after that, Kumar and Smita were transferred. But Asvini was transferred way before the chief minister expressed her annoyance," said a bureuacrat.

"It was clear that Nabanna was trying put the EROs under pressure by sending three of them to punishment postings. They had to be protected so that other observers could work properly. Else, the target to prepare error-free rolls would be compromised," said a poll panel official.

Sources in the state administration said that this could lead to another conflict between the poll panel and Nabanna. According to preliminary reports, the state would not revoke the transfer orders and seek legal opinion before complying with the EC directive .

The state government refused to suspend the BDO of Basirhat-II. The poll panel asked the chief secretary to suspend him and initiate disciplinary proceedings against him for allegedly violating norms during the SIR process. "The BDO has been relieved from SIR-related jobs but not suspended yet," said a Nabanna source.