In a significant disciplinary action, the Commission has suspended four Booth Level Officers (BLOs) in separate incidents in North 24-Parganas and Birbhum districts over alleged violations of the model code of conduct (MCC).
The suspension just ahead of the 2026 elections is indicative enough that the Election Commission of India (ECI) is committed to conducting a free and fair polling process.
The Election Commission action was based on the allegations that the officials were engaged in political activities, thereby compromising their mandated neutrality.
Three BLOs ~ Tapan Kumar Saha (Part No. 282), Abhijit Dey (Part No. 281), and Kumarjit Dutta (Part No. 205) ~ all in North 24-Parganas’ Ashoknagar Assembly constituency (No. 101), have been suspended following allegations of campaigning for the ruling Trinamul Congress.
The allegation was raised by BJP candidate Sumay Hira, who submitted photographic evidence claiming that the officials were involved in political wall writing and actively participating in party meetings despite being government employees.
Taking cognisance of the allegation, the Returning Officer issued show-cause notices to the three officials.
However, the replies submitted by Tapan Kumar Saha and Abhijit Dey were found unsatisfactory, while Kumarjit Dutta reportedly refused to accept the notice.
Based on these developments, the Commission ordered their suspension on 17 April. It has also directed the Ashoknagar Police Station to lodge an FIR against the three officials.
In a separate incident in Birbhum’s Dubrajpur (SC) Assembly constituency (No. 284), another BLO, Manjuri Chattopadhyay (Part No. 112), was suspended after allegations surfaced that she was distributing voter information slips from a political party office.
As per ECI norms, government officials are strictly prohibited from carrying out election-related duties from any party premises.
Preliminary inquiry found substance in the allegation, prompting the Returning Officer to recommend immediate suspension on 16 April.
The Commission has since ordered her removal and initiated a departmental inquiry, while directing that a replacement BLO be appointed without delay.
Under the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, such official function under the direct control of the ECI during election deployment, and any political involvement is treated as a punishable offence.