A meeting and subsequent letter from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to officers of the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) has ignited a major political controversy. The interaction, which occurred just days before the crucial second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, has been labeled by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a blatant attempt to influence the officers overseeing the democratic exercise.
The Meeting and the Contentious Letter
According to sources within the state administration, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a discussion with representatives of the West Bengal Civil Service (Executive) Officers Association on Tuesday, December 23. Following this meeting, she dispatched a formal letter to the officers' body. In her communication, Banerjee reminded the WBCS cadre of the benefits her government had provided for them since she assumed office in 2011, specifically highlighting the 'increase in perks and grade pay'.
The letter acknowledged that the officers were performing their duties in an 'adverse environment' during the SIR process. It sought to assure them of the government's support, stating, "I know WBCS officers are doing their job in an adverse environment during this SIR process. But remember that our government is always with you and in the future also, we will stand beside you." The Chief Minister also recalled her administration's consistent focus on the well-being of the WBCS officers.
Opposition BJP Cries Foul, Approaches Election Commission
The move was swiftly condemned by the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP. Taking to social media platform X, Adhikari accused the Chief Minister of trying to 'woo' the officers in charge of the SIR exercise. He argued that by subtly reminding them of the benefits received from her government and hinting at future discussions, Banerjee was using a patronising tone to leverage administrative loyalty.
"The Chief Minister suddenly lauding the contributions of WBCS officers and reminding them of their 'allegiance to the government' exposes a patronising tone, using administrative toil as leverage for loyalty. This is nothing but an attempt to intimidate the WBCS officers," Adhikari wrote in his post. He further listed several pending issues faced by the officers under the current regime. BJP sources confirmed that Adhikari has lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India (EC), seeking necessary intervention and action.
Why the Controversy Holds Significant Weight
The political storm gains immense significance due to the direct role WBCS (Executive) officers play in the electoral revision process. The Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) who conduct the SIR hearings are drawn from this very cadre. These officers hold the power to dispose of all hearings related to the electoral roll revision.
A senior state government official underscored this point, noting, "In every Assembly constituency, there will be 11 such officers who will essentially dispose of the hearings. So, if anyone says the Chief Minister is trying to influence the process, they are not fully wrong." This direct link between the officers addressed by the CM and the execution of the SIR forms the core of the opposition's allegations.
The Special Intensive Revision hearing process is scheduled to commence across the state on December 27. The exercise initially targets electors whose names lack proper mapping with the 2002 SIR data. From the draft electoral rolls published on December 16, approximately 31 lakh such electors have been identified, with 10 lakh already receiving hearing notices in the initial round.
To ensure transparency, the Election Commission has mandated the setup of 11 hearing tables in each Assembly constituency, each manned by an ERO or AERO. Furthermore, a micro-observer appointed directly by the EC will be present at every table to oversee the entire proceedings, adding a layer of scrutiny to the already sensitive process.
