West Bengal's Manoj Pant Summoned by Election Commission Over Roll Revision Issue

Kolkata, Aug 13 (PTI) West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Pant was summoned by the Election Commission in New Delhi to provide an explanation for the state government's decision not to suspend officers accused of involvement in electoral roll revision irregularities. Pant departed for the national capital on Wednesday morning.

The Election Commission had instructed Pant to appear in person at Nirvachan Sadan, the ECI headquarters located in New Delhi, by 5 PM on August 13. A senior bureaucrat confirmed that Pant would be explaining the reasoning behind the state government's decision.

The summoning occurred after Pant communicated to the Election Commission of India on Monday. In his communication, he argued that suspending the officers identified and filing FIRs against them, as directed by the poll panel, would be "disproportionately harsh" and could have a "demoralising impact" on the officers' community in Bengal.