With hundreds of micro-observers absenting themselves from training programmes or duty for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, the Election Commission of India is planning to bring in micro-observers from Bihar to tide over the impending crisis. Initially, the EC had asked for 4,600 micro-observers, and on Thursday they arranged training for 3,200. So far, several hundred micro-observers are yet to report for duty.
Poll panel officials said that the reason for bringing in micro-observers from Bihar is that they are already trained in the SIR process and had executed it “flawlessly” in Bihar. The official said as they were Central Government Group B officers, if the EC wants, they can be easily deployed in Bengal for the SIR process. In addition, the EC is now contemplating initiating action against a section of the micro-observers who did not join duty without any bona fide reason. “We are going to issue a show-cause notice soon, and if the reply is unsatisfactory, then their employers would be asked to take disciplinary action,” the official said. He added that some micro-observers had submitted medical certificates and therefore would be exempted, but more than 200 show-cause notices would be issued soon.
“These micro-observers are under deputation to the EC, and it was found that many of them are not conducting their duties properly, and many are not even verifying the signatures of the voters, and for dereliction of duty they can face disciplinary proceedings.” Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal said that the poll panel would employ another 2,000 AEROs soon. The development is significant since the micro-observers appointed, especially, for West Bengal have been selected from either the Central Government or those from the Central Public Sector undertakings or public sector banks, most in the Group-B category and a few in the Group-A category. Since they are Central Government or Central PSU or PSU bank employees, on which the Union Government has full control, initiating disciplinary proceedings against them in case of deliberate deviation from the ECI-prescribed SOP would be far easier than doing the same for Electoral Registration Officers (EROs), Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) and Booth-Level Officers (BLOs), who are State Government employees or teachers of State-run schools, explained an insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.
In another development, following instructions from the EC, the West Bengal Government has decided to transfer police officers who have been in their posts for three years or more. A State secretariat official said on Thursday that a formal notification in this regard may be issued soon. “This directive will apply to those who are serving in their home district or have been in the same position for an extended period. This directive has already been sent to all senior officers,” an official said. According to the Election Commission guidelines of December 21, 2023, and Dec 23, 2008, officers of the rank of Sub-Inspectors who fall under the specified criteria must be transferred.
These initiatives come even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) is concerned regarding the slow rate of verification of identification documents provided by “unmapped” voters who have participated in the current hearing sessions concerning the draft voters’ list in West Bengal. Amid this situation, the Commission has directed the District Magistrates (DMs), who are also the District Electoral Officers (DEOs), to expedite the process of document authentication, considering that the deadline for publication of the final voters list is February 14 this year. Currently, the hearing of the “unmapped voters”, that is, voters unable to establish links with the voters’ list 2002 either through “self-mapping” or through “progeny-mapping,” is being done. In the backdrop of the situation, the ECI has directed the DMs or the DEOs to expedite the process of document verification, a source in the CEO’s office said.
