After BJP Leader Complains, Bengal Poll Official Suspended Over SIR Lapse

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has suspended an Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district after serious irregularities were found in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the Basirhat-II block.

According to the EC, Sumitra Pratim Prodhan, who was both AERO and Block Development Officer (BDO) of Basirhat-II, illegally assigned four officials as Additional AEROs to handle hearings about discrepancies in voter lists. These officials were never officially designated as AEROs under Section 13C of the Representation of the People Act, 1950.

The Election Commission viewed this lapse as a violation of legal requirements and established electoral processes. The Commission has directed the officer's immediate suspension and barred from any work related to electoral roll revision. It has ordered that disciplinary proceedings begin right away, with a detailed compliance report due within 48 hours. The Commission has also requested regular updates on the status of the disciplinary action.

The issue first gained public attention when the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal and senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari raised the matter on social media, claiming extensive manipulation of the electoral process. In a strongly worded post, Adhikari called the use of contractual staff as AEROs "deeply shocking and outrageous" and alleged that the Trinamool Congress-led state administration was undermining the integrity of elections.

Adhikari stated that the Block Development Officer had allowed temporary and contractual employees-without proper authority or accountability-to conduct hearings on voter list discrepancies between January 22 and January 31, 2026. He claimed that such actions could lead to voter manipulation, fake entries, and rigging at the booth level ahead of the upcoming elections.

"This is a blatant mockery of democratic processes," Adhikari said. He urged the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal to promptly cancel the unlawful orders and ensure that only authorized officials manage sensitive electoral functions.

This controversy arises at a critical time, as hearings on discrepancies in electoral rolls are happening across West Bengal as part of the SIR exercise.

Given the increased scrutiny, the Election Commission has sent additional micro roll observers from various other states to oversee the revision process and ensure strict compliance with electoral laws and guidelines.