West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant headed to New Delhi on Wednesday morning to face the Election Commission of India (ECI) following a summons over the state’s failure to suspend officers accused of irregularities in the electoral roll revision process. The ECI had directed Pant to appear in person at Nirvachan Sadan, its headquarters, by 5 pm on August 13 to explain the state government’s stance.

The controversy stems from Pant’s letter to the ECI on Monday, where he argued that suspending the implicated officers and filing FIRs against them, as demanded by the poll panel, would be “disproportionately harsh” and could demoralize West Bengal’s bureaucratic community. “He will clarify the rationale behind the state’s decision,” a senior bureaucrat told PTI, emphasizing the government’s intent to defend its position.

The ECI’s summons follows reports of alleged mismanagement in the voter list revision, raising concerns about electoral integrity in the state. The poll panel’s directive to act against the “tainted” officers was met with resistance from the West Bengal government, which claimed the measures would unfairly impact administrative morale. The issue has sparked heated debates, with opposition parties accusing the state of shielding errant officials to manipulate voter lists ahead of upcoming elections.

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Pant’s meeting with the ECI is expected to address these allegations and clarify the state’s compliance with electoral guidelines. As the controversy unfolds, it has intensified scrutiny on West Bengal’s administrative processes, with the public and political observers awaiting the outcome of this high-stakes discussion at Nirvachan Sadan.

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