The road to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections has hit a major bureaucratic roadblock. In a late-night directive on Sunday, February 15, the Election Commission of India (ECI) utilized its powers under Section 13CC of the RP Act, 1950 to suspend seven state government officers.
The move signals the ECI’s zero-tolerance policy toward irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), a massive exercise designed to “sanitize” the state’s voter list. The commission has explicitly warned that any compromise in data security or the inclusion of “fictitious voters” will meet with criminal prosecution.
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The Suspended Seven: Names and Constituencies
The suspended officers served as AEROs across five districts. They are accused of failing to properly verify claims and objections during the SIR process.
| Officer Name | Role/Department | Assembly Constituency |
| Satyajit Das | Joint BDO | 139-Canning Purbo (S 24 Pgs) |
| Joydeep Kundu | FEO | 139-Canning Purbo (S 24 Pgs) |
| Dr. Sefaur Rahaman | Asst. Director, Agri | 56-Samserganj (Murshidabad) |
| Nitish Das | Revenue Officer | 55-Farakka (Murshidabad) |
| Sk. Murshid Alam | ADA, Suti Block | 57-Suti (Murshidabad) |
| Debashis Biswas | Jt. BDO | 229-Debra (Paschim Medinipur) |
| Dalia Ray Choudhury | WDO | 16-Maynaguri (Jalpaiguri) |
Fictitious Voters and Data Security: The ECI’s Grievances
The ECI’s primary concern revolves around the “fictitious voter” phenomenon.
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The Allegation: Reports emerged that certain AEROs were bypassing statutory verification to protect “ghost” names or include fraudulent entries at the behest of local political actors.
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Data Compromise: The ECI flagged a breach in data security protocols where unauthorized personnel reportedly gained access to the ERO Net system.
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Chief Secretary Summoned: Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty has been directed to initiate disciplinary proceedings and file FIRs against the officers. The ECI has noted that previous directions to file cases against errant officials were “wilfully flouted” by the state administration.
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Investigative Angle: The “Burning Records” Controversy
Our investigation into the recent Supreme Court intervention reveals a deeper layer of the crisis. On February 9, 2026, the apex court took cognizance of allegations involving the deliberate burning of Form-7 (objection) records in specific districts.
The Strategy: By destroying physical records of objections, certain officials allegedly attempted to prevent the deletion of ineligible voters. The ECI has responded by ordering that all objections received must now be re-sent and disposed of by February 16. Furthermore, the Director General of Police (DGP) has been made personally liable for any law-and-order disruptions at hearing centers.
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[BENGAL SIR REVISION BY THE NUMBERS (FEB 2026)]
| Category | Count | Status |
| Names Deleted | 5.8 Million | Draft Roll published Dec 16 |
| Logical Discrepancies | 15.2 Million | Verification ongoing |
| Ineligible Electors | 1.63 Lakh | Confirmed for deletion |
| Final Roll Date | February 28 | One-week extension (SC Order) |
Revised Timeline: The Road to the 2026 Assembly Polls
Due to the massive volume of discrepancies and the Supreme Court’s one-week extension, the publishing of the final electoral roll has been pushed back.
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February 21: Completion of document review and disposal of claims.
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February 25: Rationalization of polling stations.
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February 27: Health parameter checks of the final list.
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February 28: Publication of the Final Electoral Roll.
Next Steps
If you are a resident of West Bengal, you should check your status on the CEO West Bengal website before February 21 to ensure your name is not among the “logical discrepancy” list. Furthermore, if you are a political worker, you should ensure that your Booth Level Agents (BLAs) are present for the final rationalization of polling stations on February 25.
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