The chief electoral officer of West Bengal has opened an inquiry after a complaint from the opposition about a possible conflict of interest in the state’s election staffing.
In the Diamond Harbour Assembly area of South 24 Parganas, an official named Md. Alauddin Molla has been listed as a booth‑level officer (BLO). The Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, raised the issue with the Election Commission of India (ECI) last Saturday, pointing out that Molla is also a Trinamool Congress area president. His wife, Liala Bibi, is a panchayat member elected from block two of Diamond Harbour.
Adhikari warned that if members of ruling parties keep positions on the BLO list, they could influence the voting process. He said the Nezz, the post was embroiled in the same drama as earlier disputes over the selection of ERAs and other election staff in the state.
The West Bengal CEO office, led by Mr. Agarwal, now requests a detailed report from the district magistrate of South 24 Parganas, who also serves as the district election officer. The inquiry will examine whether Molla’s dual role violates the Election Commission’s rules that only permanent staff and former teachers can be appointed as BLOs.
The case comes amid a broader controversy over the appointment of administrative staff to election posts in West Bengal. Critics have accused the state of topping the list with contract workers and junior officers, thereby sidestepping the ECI’s requirement that only senior civil servants or teachers be chosen as election staff.
This investigation will clarify whether the police, or in this case the DOE… stop. The office’s next steps… ***
Source: ianslive
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