Kolkata, Oct 27 – In West Bengal, the Election Commission is now looking into two recent appointments that may violate its rules for booth‑level officers (BLOs). The latest case comes from the Narayangarh Assembly constituency in West Midnapore district, where a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office‑bearer has been named a BLO. This follows a similar case last week in Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas, where a TMC area president was also appointed a BLO.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, has asked the district magistrate and election officer in both districts to investigate the selections and send detailed reports back to his office in Kolkata. Senior officials expect swift action on both matters.
A key whistleblower is opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari. He has raised concerns about the appointments and demanded that the Commission follow its own guidelines. In Narayangarh, the appointed BLO is Suddhadeb Mahapatra, a para‑teacher closely linked to TMC. Para‑teachers are temporary hires used in schools with teacher shortages, and the Election Commission’s rules specifically disallow them as BLOs. Instead, the commission prefers permanent government employees or permanent teachers who have benefits such as provident fund and pension.
Adhikari pointed out that four eligible candidates – two permanent primary teachers and two ICDS workers – were overlooked in favour of Mahapatra. “The CEO must act immediately and replace the BLO with an eligible government official,” he said.
The Commission’s investigation will determine whether these appointments violate the rules and whether any corrective action is needed. The outcome will affect how TMC and other parties name local election officers across West Bengal.
Source: ianslive
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