Raj Bhavan Urges Action Against Officials for Leaking Suspected Criminals List

The Raj Bhavan in Kolkata has moved the Election Commission of India (ECI), urging it to identify and take strong action against officials in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal who may have leaked a list of suspected criminals and anti-social elements to political parties. The list was compiled by the governor's office using its own mechanism to identify individuals who could be used by political parties to intimidate voters or create law and order situations during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The Raj Bhavan shared the list with the CEO's office, but a few senior officials allegedly leaked it to top political leaders in the state, potentially thwarting the governor's attempts to control criminal activities. The Raj Bhavan's move comes amid sustained face-offs between the governor's office and the state administration over political and administrative matters.

Why this matters: The leaking of a confidential list of suspected criminals by election officials to political parties raises serious concerns about the integrity and fairness of the electoral process. It highlights the need for strict measures to prevent misuse of sensitive information and ensure a level playing field for all candidates.

The ECI has also received complaints related to violence and voter/polling agent intimidation from three Lok Sabha constituencies that went to polls in the first phase, and has suspended two police station officers for failing to contain communal violence. The ECI has asked the Union Home Ministry to deploy the highest number of central forces in West Bengal for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

The allegations of leaking the suspected criminals list by officials in the CEO's office have added to the tensions between the Raj Bhavan and the state administration. The governor's office compiled the list as part of its efforts to curb criminal activities and voter intimidation during the elections. The ECI is now tasked with investigating the leak and taking appropriate action against the responsible officials to maintain the sanctity of the electoral process in West Bengal.

Key Takeaways

• Raj Bhavan in Kolkata urges ECI to act against officials who leaked list of suspected criminals
• List was compiled by governor's office to identify individuals who could intimidate voters
• ECI received complaints of violence, voter intimidation in first phase of Lok Sabha polls
• ECI suspends two police officers for failing to contain communal violence
• Leak of suspected criminals list adds to tensions between Raj Bhavan and state administration