The Election Commission (EC) has taken a firm stance on the transfer of officials engaged in the special intensive revision of the voter list in West Bengal. The Commission has asked the Bengal government to withdraw the transfer of three IAS officers deputed as electoral roll observers (EROs) for districts, as the transfer orders were issued without the poll panel’s concurrence. The EC’s move is aimed at ensuring that other EROs from the state cadre can discharge their duties without fear.

On November 28, the EC had appointed 12 IAS officers of the Bengal cadre as Electoral Roll Observers for 24 districts in the state, including Kolkata. However, the Bengal government subsequently transferred three of these officers. The transferred officers include Smita Pandey, ERO for West and East Burdwan and Birbhum; Randhir Kumar, ERO for North 24 Parganas and North Kolkata; and Ashwini Kumar Yadav, ERO for North and South Dinajpur. Since these officers were on deemed deputation to the EC after their appointment as EROs, it was mandatory for the state government to obtain the poll panel’s concurrence before transferring them.