Mamata Banerjee, the leader of Bengal, is urgently looking at a new order from the Election Commission of India. This comes as people are demanding her suspension, saying there were problems with how votes were cast. The situation is very serious, happening right now as questions about fair voting keep growing across the state. This high-stakes moment puts direct pressure on the top political office and sets the stage for a big fight over election rules.
Dispute Over Election Commission Order
The Election Commission of India (ECI) and the West Bengal government are in a significant disagreement regarding alleged irregularities in voter lists and the ECI’s subsequent order for the suspension and filing of police reports against certain election officials. This situation has led to extensive consultations within the state government and raised questions about the authority of election bodies. The core of the issue stems from a report by the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal. This report highlighted concerns about unauthorized additions of names to electoral rolls in two specific assembly areas: Baruipur Purba and Moyna. The report further alleged that these officials had compromised data security by sharing their login details for the voter database. Following these findings, the ECI directed that immediate action be taken against the implicated individuals.
Election Commission Takes Action
On August 5, 2025, the Election Commission of India issued an order to the West Bengal Chief Secretary. This order called for the immediate suspension of four state government officers who were serving as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs). The officials named in the order were Debottam Dutta Choudhury, Tathagata Mondal, Biplab Sarkar. Sudipta Das. Also, the ECI directed that police reports (FIRs) be filed against these four officers, along with a casual data entry operator named Surojit Halder. The charges against them included alleged irregularities in adding names to voter lists and compromising data security. The ECI stated that the officers had committed “grave lapses” and failed in their duties by violating data security policies through sharing their login credentials for the electoral roll database with unauthorized persons. The commission also noted that these actions could amount to “criminal misconduct,” warranting penalties under Section 32(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. If found guilty, the officials could face imprisonment ranging from three months to two years, along with financial penalties. To ensure compliance with its directives, the ECI sent a reminder on August 8, 2025. This follow-up communication set a clear deadline of 3 PM on August 11, 2025, for the West Bengal government to submit a report confirming the actions taken.
State Government’s Initial Response
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee publicly reacted to the ECI’s order shortly after it was issued. On August 6, 2025, addressing a public gathering in Jhargram, she declared that her government would not suspend the officers. She asserted her responsibility to protect state government employees and questioned the ECI’s authority to issue such directives, especially since elections had not yet been announced. The Chief Minister also expressed strong criticism of the Election Commission, accusing it of acting as a “bonded labourer” for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She suggested that the ECI was being used as a tool to intimidate state officials and was operating at the behest of the Union Home Minister. Following the Chief Minister’s statement, the West Bengal Chief Secretary, Manoj Pant, responded to the ECI’s directive. In a letter sent on August 11, 2025, before the stipulated deadline, the state government acknowledged the ECI’s communication. But, it argued that immediate suspensions and the filing of police reports against the officials would be a “disproportionately harsh measure” and could have a “demoralising impact” on the broader state workforce involved in electoral responsibilities. Instead of implementing the full ECI order, the West Bengal government stated that it had initiated an internal inquiry into the alleged irregularities. As an interim step, it informed the ECI that two of the five identified individuals – Sudipta Das (an AERO from Moyna) and Surojit Halder (the data entry operator) – had been relieved from election-related duties. But, the other three officials remained in their posts, pending the outcome of the internal investigation. The state government did not proceed with the suspension of all five officials or the filing of police reports as directed by the ECI.
ECI Summons Chief Secretary
Given the West Bengal government’s partial compliance and expressed reservations, the Election Commission of India escalated the matter. On August 12, 2025, the ECI summoned West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, directing him to appear in person at the ECI headquarters in New Delhi by 5 PM on Wednesday. The purpose of the summons was for the Chief Secretary to clarify the reasons for the lack of full action, specifically regarding the non-suspension of officials and the non-lodging of FIRs, despite the ECI’s clear directives. This move by the ECI underscored the growing tension between the two entities, with the ECI emphasizing that officials engaged in electoral duties are considered to be on deputation to the commission and are subject to its control and discipline during that period.
Consultations and Further Developments
West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant traveled to New Delhi and met with ECI officials at Nirvachan Sadan on August 15, 2025. During the meeting, which lasted approximately an hour, Mr. Pant reportedly requested additional time to decide on the suspension of the four state officials and the data entry operator. He conveyed the state government’s concerns that immediate suspensions and police reports could be “disproportionately harsh” and potentially “demoralise” state officials, especially considering their extensive responsibilities and instances where tasks are delegated in good faith. The Chief Secretary informed the ECI that he needed time to finalize the state’s decision after consulting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other senior administrative and electoral officials. While neither the ECI nor the state government has issued an official statement regarding the meeting’s outcome, sources indicate that the Election Commission granted Mr. Pant’s request for more time, reportedly until August 21, 2025. The state government has assured the ECI that a detailed report will be submitted once its internal inquiry concludes. The ongoing dispute highlights the differing perspectives between the state government and the central election body on the severity of the alleged irregularities and the appropriate disciplinary actions against the officials involved in the voter roll revision process. The situation remains a key point of discussion as further steps are awaited from the West Bengal government. 
