CS meets EC officials in Del over poll prep

Kolkata: Bengal chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty met Election Commission officials in Delhi on Friday to discuss preparations for the assembly elections likely to be held in April. She was asked to ensure immediate transfer of officers who have been in the same district for three years.

At the meeting, the chief secretary also put forward the state govt's position on EC's direction to lodge FIRs against two electoral registration officers (EROs) and two assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) along with a data entry operator for allegedly misusing the password of EC's portal.



Additionally, the EC sought suspension of Sumitra Prathim Pradhan, BDO of Basirhat-II, for allegedly deploying 11 AEROs on his own. EC also sought withdrawal of transfers of three observers — Randhir Kumar, Smita Pandey and Ashwini Kumar Yadav.

In Aug last year, EC had summoned then chief secretary Manoj Pant to explain the delay in initiating action against the EROs and AEROs accused of sharing their login details with unauthorised persons. At the time, EC had sought their suspension, departmental proceedings and registration of FIRs against them. After Pant met EC officials, the state govt suspended the EROs and AEROs but did not lodge FIRs.

After Chakravorty became chief secretary, EC wrote to her, insisting that FIRs be lodged and asked her to file a compliance report by Feb 9. Several deputy ECs are set to visit the city on March 1, an official said.

EC appoints NK Mishra spl roll observer

Election Commission on Friday appointed retired IPS officer NK Mishra as a special roll observer to oversee the Bengal SIR. The appointment comes only a day before SIR hearings end. A 1988-batch IPS officer of the Sikkim cadre, he had served as Sikkim DGP and Intelligence Branch special director. EC had initially appointed Subrata Gupta as special roll observer and then four others. Mishra will be the sixth roll observer for Bengal.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and quotes !