EC summons Bengal chief secy over 'inaction' on officials

KOLKATA: EC on Tuesday summoned Bengal chief secretary Manoj Pant to New Delhi by 5pm Wednesday to explain in person why no action was taken against four state officials and a contractual data entry operator accused of failing to prevent bogus voter entries in two assembly segments.

EC had ordered suspension of all five, FIRs naming them, and initiation of disciplinary proceedings, setting a Monday 3pm deadline for an action-taken report. Pant's reply said an inquiry was under way, one official had been removed from poll duty, and the contractual employee taken off election work.

The accused - posted in Baruipur East and Moyna constituencies - allegedly failed to prevent inclusion of 108 fake voters. CM Mamata Banerjee has said she will not suspend the officials or be "intimidated" by the poll panel. Sources said Pant may tell EC hasty suspensions, especially of two Bengal civil service cadre officials, would demoralise state employees.