A new confrontation emerged between the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the state government after the former ordered West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty to withdraw the transfer order of three electoral roll observers during the ongoing SIR process.
ECI secretary Sujeet Kumar Misra on Tuesday wrote to Chakraborty, stating the transfer orders should be “cancelled”, and future orders should “get prior ECI concurrence”.
The state government had recently transferred, giving additional responsibilities to IAS officers Smita Pandey, Asvini Kumar Yadav, and Randhir Kumar.
“Transfer orders be cancelled forthwith. Further, you are requested to obtain prior concurrence of the commission before issuing such orders in future,” the letter said.
It also pointed out Paragraph 4 of the letter which states that the chief secretaries must ensure that no official involved in the SIR process is transferred without prior approval from the Commission.
The letter stated, “Commission vide its letter dated 27.10.2025, has announced the Special Intensive Revision (stn; in the state of West Bengal. Paragraph 4 of the aforementioned letter inter-alia provides that during the SIR period, the chief secretaries must ensure that no official involved in the SIR process is transferred without prior approval from the commission.”
The EC added, “Further, I am to state that the Commission, vide its letter dated 28.11.2025 has appointed Electoral Roll observers along with Divisional Commissioners. These officers are on deemed deputation to the Election Commission of India for the purpose of the SIR.”
It also mentioned, “It has come to the Commission’s notice that the Government of West Bengal, vide notifications dated 01.12.2025, 20.01.2026 and 21.01.2026 respectively, has ordered the departmental transfers/posting of Sh. Asvini Kumar
Yadav, IAS, WB:2001 (Electoral Roll Observer for Uttar Dinajpur & Dakshin Dinajpur), Sh. Randhir Kumar, IAS, WB:2006 (Electoral Roll Observer for North 24 Parganas & Kolkata North) and Smt. Smita Pandey, IAS, WB:2005 (Electoral Roll Observer for Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman & Birbhum), respectively.”
The letter further stated, “However, the transfers of these officers have been ordered without prior concurrence of the Election Commission, which is violative of the Commission’s instructions dated 27.10.2025 as mentioned above. In view of the above, I am directed to state that the transfer orders be cancelled forthwith. Further, you are requested to obtain prior concurrence of the Commission before issuing such orders in future. A compliance in this regard may be sent to the Commission by 03:00 pm on 28.91.2026.”
Earlier, a row had erupted between the ECI and the state administration when the Murshidabad district administration did not file an FIR against TMC MLA Manirul Islam, in connection with the alleged vandalism at the Block Development Office in Farakka, even after 24 hours.
Last year in August, the ECI had asked the state government to suspend and book four officials and a contractual employee over alleged fraudulent registration of 127 voters in the Baruipur Purba and Moyna Assembly constituencies.
The four included two West Bengal Civil Service officers serving as Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) – Debottam Dutta Choudhury (Baruipur Purba), and Biplab Sarkar (Moyna) – and two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) – Tathagata Mondal (Baruipur), and Sudipta Das (Moyna).
The Commission also sought the same action against casual Data Entry Operator Surojit Halder. He was suspended by the state government earlier. However, the state government is yet to file an FIR against the officers.