Suvendu Adhikari set the tone for electoral accountability by hailing the Election Commission’s suspension of seven Assistant Electoral Registration Officers in West Bengal. Addressing journalists at Kolkata’s international airport en route to the capital, the Leader of Opposition framed the decision as a pivotal strike against Mamata Banerjee’s ‘tampering machinery’ during the SIR process.
Adhikari explained the EC’s unprecedented direct action: the officers had endorsed fraudulent school certificates and PAN cards, defying 13 comprehensive guidelines. He accused Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravarty of spearheading the irregularities at Banerjee’s behest, while decrying the government’s neglect of Form 7 complaints.
In a stark comparison, he noted Bengal’s outlier status – EC documents allegedly funneled to the CM for interference, unlike anywhere else in India. ‘Not even the PM touches poll files like this,’ he emphasized, crediting the EC for initiating corrective measures.
This development arrives at a tense juncture, with SIR aimed at cleansing voter lists amid opposition cries of ‘fake voters.’ Adhikari’s endorsement fuels BJP’s narrative of TMC overreach, potentially galvanizing anti-incumbency sentiments.
As investigations deepen, the suspensions underscore the EC’s resolve to enforce rules impartially, a beacon for democratic integrity in a polarized state.