The Election Commission of India has indicated possible action against Mousam Sarkar, Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of Bagnan Assembly constituency, for publicly questioning alleged logical discrepancies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, an official said on Monday.
Sarkar, who also serves as Block Disaster Management Officer of Bagnan Block-II, had raised concerns regarding the SIR exercise. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) West Bengal responded on X, suggesting that disciplinary action could be initiated against him.
Reacting to the development, Sarkar said, "I have not received any letter so far. I will respond appropriately once I receive it."
In a detailed post on X, the CEO West Bengal’s office stated that if Sarkar had any grievances, he should have raised them with his superior officers or formally approached the District Election Officer, following due procedure. The post noted that in such a case, he could have been transferred to another posting but instead, he allegedly violated service discipline.
According to the CEO’s office, Sarkar’s actions amount to indiscipline, violation of rules, and disrespect towards a constitutional authority. "He is currently an employee of the Election Commission, and appropriate action will be taken against him as per law," the statement read.
Sarkar defended his actions, saying, "It was necessary in the interest of the public. Other officers should also speak up. Otherwise, the public will suffer greatly."
Earlier, on January 8, Sarkar had written to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) Bagnan, alleging logical discrepancies in the AERO log and resigning from his post as AERO.
In his letter, he claimed that discrepancies in name spellings flagged during the SIR process date back to 2002 and were later corrected by voters themselves using Form 8, in accordance with Election Commission rules. He also noted that similar corrections had been made for age-related discrepancies, resulting in the current inconsistencies being highlighted.
