The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the West Bengal government to immediately cancel the transfer orders of three IAS officers serving as Electoral Roll Observers, saying the moves violated clear instructions issued during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, the commission said the officers were transferred without its prior approval, despite explicit directions that no official connected with the SIR process should be moved during the revision period.
“It has come to the commission’s notice that the Government of West Bengal has ordered departmental transfers/postings of Electoral Roll Observers without prior concurrence of the Commission, which is violative of the commission’s instructions,” the letter stated.
The commission has asked the state government to cancel the transfer orders “forthwith” and warned that prior approval must be obtained before issuing any such orders in the future.
According to the communication, the ECI had announced the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal through a letter dated October 27, 2025. Paragraph 4 of that letter made it mandatory for chief secretaries to ensure that officials engaged in the SIR exercise are not transferred without the commission’s consent.
Subsequently, through another letter issued in late November 2025, the commission appointed 12 Electoral Roll Observers along with five Divisional Commissioners for the SIR. These officers were placed on “deemed deputation” to the Election Commission of India for the duration of the exercise.
Despite this, the state government issued transfer and posting notifications on 1 December, 2025, 20 January and 21 January, 2026, affecting three IAS officers: Ashwini Kumar Yadav, IAS (WB:2001), Electoral Roll Observer for Uttar Dinajpur and Dakshin Dinajpur; Randhir Kumar, IAS (WB:2006), Electoral Roll Observer for North 24 Parganas and Kolkata North; and Smita Pandey, IAS (WB:2005), Electoral Roll Observer for Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman and Birbhum.
The commission noted that all three officers were transferred without its approval, even though they were engaged in a critical election-related assignment.
“In view of the above, I am directed to state that the transfer orders be cancelled forthwith,” the letter said, adding that the state must seek prior concurrence from the commission for any such decisions in the future.
The commission has asked the West Bengal government to send a compliance report by 3 p.m. on 28 January.
The letter was signed by Sujeet Kumar Mishra, Secretary, Election Commission of India, underscoring the Commission’s firm stance on maintaining the continuity of the electoral roll revision process.