West Bengal’s electoral landscape shifted dramatically with the Election Commission suspending seven Assistant Electoral Registration Officers during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar seized the moment in Balurghat to deliver a pointed message to all officials: impartiality is non-negotiable.
Addressing the media, Majumdar explained the ECI’s crackdown on AEROs from Ghatal, Samsherganj, Sutia, and four other blocks. These officers, he charged, flouted rules by attempting to register unqualified voters without justification. ‘AI and modern tech have simplified anomaly detection in records,’ Majumdar observed, hailing the digital edge in oversight.
His admonition was unambiguous: ‘Serving Trinamool interests will trigger EC action. Your career hangs in balance.’ He implored officers to embrace fairness, transparency, and democratic values essential for robust elections.
Suvendu Adhikari, the opposition heavyweight, lauded the decision en route to Delhi from Kolkata airport. ‘Historic ECI intervention in SIR—direct power play sans chief secretary input,’ he remarked. Detailing violations, Adhikari cited acceptance of fraudulent school certificates, PAN cards, and disregard for 13 ECI norms.
Bluntly, Adhikari accused a top-down conspiracy: ‘Nandini Chakraborty coerced DMs and DEOs, with Mamata Banerjee pulling strings.’ Such revelations intensify scrutiny on the state’s voter registration amid allegations of systemic manipulation.
With FIRs looming as a next step, the ECI’s resolve fortifies electoral hygiene. Majumdar’s rhetoric and Adhikari’s endorsements amplify calls for accountability, positioning this as a watershed in Bengal’s poll preparations. The message is clear: technology watches, and bias backfires.