Election Commission summons Bengal CS Manoj Pant to Delhi after Mamata govt snubbed order to suspend 4 officers

In a tit-for-tat move, Pant has been asked to physically appear before the ECI in Delhi by 5 pm on Wednesday.

The ECI last week had asked the West Bengal government to suspend four state officers, who are accused of including fictitious names in the electoral rolls amid row over Special Intensive Revision (SIR), by 3 pm on Monday.

Snubbing the ECI's, the government on Monday informed the poll body that it had withdrawn an officer and a data entry operator from election-related duties and also launched a probe.

In a letter to the ECI, the Chief Secretary said suspension would leave a "demoralising impact" on the "individuals" as well as "the broader team of officers engaged in electoral responsibilities and other administrative functions".

Among the four who have been ordered to be suspended, two are Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and the other two are Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO).

The ECI had also directed the West Bengal Chief Secretary to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the four officers and a data entry operator.

The discrepancies have emerged from Baruipur Purba and Moyna assembly constituencies.

The letter was sent to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant.

Daring the ECI, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee earlier said her government won't suspend the officers claiming the administration will be under the ECI only during the polls.

"In the name of the voter list, BJP wants to form a party list. Not a single name should be removed. Forget the party or political party, you must protect your own identity. Government officials are being threatened. Yesterday, two officers were sent notices and suspended. The election has not even been announced yet.

"Under which law can you send notices and suspend people? They are saying FIRs will be filed. This will not happen. I will not allow this. There is no need to be afraid," the Chief Minister said.