The ECI stressed Section 32 of the Act, which states that any electoral officer who is found to be in breach of their official duty without reasonable cause is punishable with imprisonment for a term of up to two years and a fine (File)The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken action in a case of alleged voter fraud in West Bengal, ordering the suspension of five officers and an FIR against them. The allegations include the fraudulent registration of voters using forged documents across two assembly constituencies.Those suspended include two West Bengal Civil Service officers serving as Electoral Registration Officers, and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers from the Baruipur Purba and Moyna assembly constituencies. A data entry operator has also been named in the FIR, which alleges criminal misconduct.The ECI’s investigation was prompted by a report from the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, highlighting alleged irregularities. Following the report, the ECI wrote to the state’s Chief Secretary, directing immediate action.In its letter, the ECI emphasised the statutory duties of electoral officials under the Representation of People Act, 1950. It noted that EROs are the statutory authorities for preparing and revising electoral rolls, and that all officers involved in the election process are on “deputation to the Election Commission,” making them subject to its control and discipline.The ECI stressed Section 32 of the Act, which states that any electoral officer who is found to be in breach of their official duty without reasonable cause is punishable with imprisonment for a term of up to two years and a fine.“It has been reported that the said officers have not only failed to perform their duty as ERO and AERO while disposing of the (Form 6) applications, but also violated the policy of data security while sharing their login credentials of the ER database with unauthorised persons,” states the Election Commission’s letter.Form 6 is the application form for inclusion of a new voter’s name in the electoral roll. According to sources, the five officials and one data operstor have been found involved in wrongful addition of names in the rolls.Story continues below this adThe ECI’s decision drew varied responses from political parties in the state, with the BJP and the Congress welcoming the step. BJP state president Shamik Bhattacharya said that “national security had been compromised”. “We welcome this step by the Commission. The removal of fake voters from the list is not just BJP’s demand but also something that all people of Bengal want,” Bhattacharya said.TMC leader Debangshu Bhattacharya responded cautiously: “If someone is at fault, has done something wrong, and is being punished, then there is nothing to say.” However, he raised concerns that the action might be a “ploy by the EC, which we obviously think is backed by the BJP, to terrorise ground-level administrative officials.”Congress spokesperson Somyo Aich questioned the motive behind the fake voter registrations, saying, “The habit of giving entry to fake voters in the electoral roll, who is doing this? Why do they want fake voters?” He said that some officers might be acting “out of fear”, and urged the Commission to “find out which political party is involved”.Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Election Commission