An Election Commission of India observer was assaulted in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, raising serious security concerns during the poll process. The incident involving C Murugan, the EC's roll observer for South 24 Parganas and Kolkata South, occurred in Mograhat on Monday.
Details of the Mograhat Attack
Following the attack, Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti, who oversees Bengal, held a telephonic conversation with Murugan. The observer subsequently filed a detailed report on Tuesday. He submitted his account to Bengal's Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Agarwal, and special roll observer Subrata Gupta.
The report revealed this was not an isolated event. An EC official stated that this marked the second time Murugan faced aggression within the Diamond Harbour subdivision. A fortnight prior to the Mograhat incident, he was allegedly gheraoed (surrounded and confined) in Falta.
Observer's Report and Allegations
In his official report, Murugan has called for a probe into the role of the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Diamond Harbour. He alleged that despite prior intimation about his visit to Mograhat being given to the SP, the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), and the District Magistrate (DM), adequate security arrangements were not made.
The lapses continued even after the attack. The EC official cited that Murugan's report also mentioned he was not provided with an escort vehicle for his return journey to Kolkata following the assault, leaving him vulnerable.
Concerns Over Document Verification
Beyond the security issues, Murugan's report flagged a procedural concern. He noted that during a hearing on Monday, Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) were accepting a "family register" issued by child development project officers as a valid document for enrollment.
This document is not included in the Election Commission's official list of permissible papers for voter registration, potentially opening the process to irregularities.
The incident has put a spotlight on the challenges faced by central election officials in the state and the implementation of security protocols for EC staff on duty.
