Kolkata, Feb 20 (NationPress) A new conflict appears to be brewing between the Election Commission of India and the West Bengal government regarding the precise interpretation of the suspension of electoral officers deemed guilty of breaching the guidelines established by the ECI during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state.

On one side, the West Bengal government supports the Chief Minister's assertion that suspension only pertains to removing the affected electoral officers from their responsibilities, allowing for their reassignment to other administrative functions.

However, sources within the Chief Electoral Officers (CEO) office in West Bengal have indicated that the ECI has made it clear that suspension entails not only the removal of officers from electoral duties but also from any other administrative positions.

“In addition to suspending certain electoral officers, the ECI has mandated the state government to commence departmental proceedings against them. This raises concerns about how fair and impartial these proceedings can be if the officers remain in their current administrative roles,” revealed an insider from the CEO’s office.

The insider further noted that the ECI is monitoring whether the state government will indeed start a departmental investigation into these suspended officers.

“The state government is expected to provide a compliance report to the Commission on the initiation of a departmental investigation against these suspended electoral officers. If the compliance report is not submitted within a reasonable timeframe, the Commission will likely determine the next steps in this matter,” the insider added.

Political analysts believe that even if the state government maintains that suspension merely means withdrawal from electoral duties, there is no assurance that the suspended electoral officers will ultimately evade more severe actions from the ECI.

Once the model code of conduct is activated in light of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state, it would be challenging for the ECI to refrain from taking punitive measures against these suspended officers under the Representation of the People Act.

To date, the ECI has suspended two electoral registration officers (EROs), nine assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs), one data-entry operator, and three micro-observers. Among these, the three micro-observers are officials from the Central government, while the others are state government personnel.