Kolkata: In a significant development amid heightened scrutiny of electoral processes, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended an Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal after serious irregularities were detected during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to the Election Commission, Sumitra Pratima Pradhan, who was serving as the Block Development Officer (BDO) and AERO of Basirhat-II block, had illegally appointed four officials as Additional AEROs to hear objections and claims related to voter list discrepancies. These officials were never formally notified or authorised under Section 13C of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, making their appointments unlawful.
Violation of Election Laws, Says ECI
Terming the lapse a serious violation of statutory provisions and electoral procedures, the Election Commission ordered the immediate suspension of the officer and barred her from any further involvement in electoral roll revision work. The Commission has also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings and sought a detailed report within 48 hours, along with regular updates on the progress of action taken.
The ECI emphasised that only duly authorised officers can perform sensitive electoral duties, especially during the voter list revision process, which directly impacts the integrity of elections.
Issue Raised by BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari
The matter came to light after Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal and senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari raised the issue on social media, alleging large-scale manipulation of the electoral process. In a strongly worded post, Adhikari described the use of temporary and contractual staff as AEROs as “shocking and disgraceful.”
He accused the Trinamool Congress-led state government of undermining the fairness of elections and claimed that such unauthorised appointments could lead to voter manipulation, bogus entries and booth-level irregularities ahead of upcoming polls.
‘Mockery of Democratic Processes’
Adhikari further alleged that between January 22 and January 31, 2026, contractual employees were allowed to hear voter list objections without proper authority or accountability. Calling it a “mockery of democratic processes,” he urged the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal to immediately revoke such illegal orders and ensure that only authorised officials manage electoral responsibilities.
EC Steps Up Oversight
The controversy has emerged at a crucial time when voter list corrections are underway across the state as part of the SIR exercise. In view of increased scrutiny, the Election Commission has deployed additional micro roll observers from other states to closely monitor the revision process and ensure strict compliance with electoral laws and guidelines.
The suspension signals the Election Commission’s intent to enforce accountability and maintain the sanctity of India’s democratic processes amid growing political contestation.
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