Tensions between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and West Bengal’s ruling dispensation have escalated after the poll body unilaterally named 15 IAS and 10 IPS officers from the state as Special Roll Observers (SROs) for voter list revisions elsewhere. The directive, reaching Nabanna Wednesday, schedules training for February 5-6, followed by state-wise deployments.
Behind the scenes, the state government’s silence on three ECI pleas for nominations left the commission no choice but to pick its own team, according to CEO office insiders. The list’s highlight—or flashpoint—is Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, drawing sharp TMC criticism on procedural legitimacy.
State TMC vice-president Jayprakash Majumdar slammed it as the ECI dancing to BJP tunes, part of a larger scheme with five states voting this year. “BJP is pulling strings from the shadows,” he asserted, advocating for non-poll state officers instead.
BJP leader Jagnnath Chattopadhyay parried, insisting on procedural fidelity. This standoff illuminates chronic issues of non-cooperation in Bengal’s electoral ecosystem, where ECI often treads contested ground.
As these officers prepare for their pivotal roles in SIR exercises, their impact on electoral hygiene will be closely watched. This episode may foreshadow intensified central interventions, bolstering transparency but straining federal ties in India’s vibrant democracy.