EC seeks report from Bengal on action against officials over 2021 and 2024 poll violence

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought detailed report from the West Bengal government about the "definite" actions taken against the officers-in-charge (OCs) and supervisor level officers in connection with the pre-poll, poll and post-poll violence-related incidents during the 2021 assembly polls and 2024 Lok Sabha polls, in which people were injured or died, people in the know told ET.

The matter was discussed in the two-day poll preparedness meeting on March 9-10, where the full bench of the ECI, led by CEC Gyanesh Kumar, was present in Kolkata. "There are many bigger states, where polls are undertaken peacefully, but no state has disrepute like Bengal. Why were there so many deaths or violence in Bengal?" the CEC asked, people aware of the development told ET.

The CEC gave a clear message to the DMs, SPs and other senior officers that all efforts should be undertaken to "bring West Bengal out of the disrepute" in the 2026 assembly polls in regard to pre-poll, poll and post-poll violence.


Apart from a detailed list of names of the OCs and all other supervisory level officers, details of the disciplinary actions or departmental investigation has also been sought by the ECI. The poll body has stressed on "zero tolerance" policy on violence.

"The CEC asked whether they (all DMs and SPs) could erase such disrepute in 2026 assembly polls, to which all of them assured him," a senior ECI official said. During the meeting with the Chief Secretary and DGP, the CEC spoke on similar lines and they have also assured "peaceful and violence-free" polls.