Election Commission May Take Action Against West Bengal Officer Over SIR Critique
Election Commission signals disciplinary steps over public criticism.
The Election Commission of India has indicated that it may initiate disciplinary action against Mousam Sarkar, Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of Bagnan Assembly constituency in West Bengal, for publicly questioning alleged inconsistencies in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. An official confirmed on Monday that the remarks made by Sarkar, who also serves as Block Disaster Management Officer of Bagnan Block-II, were viewed seriously by the authorities.
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, issued a strong statement on X, asserting that Sarkar violated service discipline by raising concerns publicly instead of following proper channels. The post emphasised that any grievances should have been submitted to superior officers or the District Election Officer, which could have resulted in a transfer rather than public disclosure. The CEO office described the action as amounting to indiscipline, violation of rules, and disrespect towards a constitutional authority.
In response, Mousam Sarkar stated that he had not yet received any official communication regarding the matter. He affirmed that he would provide an appropriate reply once a formal letter was issued. Defending his decision to speak out, Sarkar maintained that it was essential in the public interest and urged other officers to voice similar concerns to prevent undue hardship to citizens during the SIR exercise.
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The controversy stems from a letter Sarkar addressed to the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) of Bagnan on January 8. In the communication, he highlighted logical discrepancies in the AERO log during the SIR process, pointing out that spelling errors in names dating back to 2002 had been corrected by voters through Form 8 as per Election Commission guidelines. He noted that similar self-corrections had occurred for age-related issues, which were now being flagged as inconsistencies.
The CEO West Bengal reiterated that Sarkar, currently functioning as an employee under the Election Commission, would face appropriate action in accordance with the law. The development has sparked debate over the boundaries of public expression by election officials and the protocol for addressing procedural concerns within the SIR framework in the state.
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