Latest news with #AERO
Time of India
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer seeks registration officers' login data after voter roll fraud scandal in Kakdwip
Office of Chief electoral Officer-West Bengal has sought log-in ids of all Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs), including Namkhana Block, from the Election Commission of India (ECI) in the aftermath of suspension of assistant system manager of Kakdwip subdivision, where FIRs were lodged against three persons for 'dereliction of duty' in Kakdwip subdivision in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district, EC sources said. Arun Gorain, assistant system manager of Kakdwip subdivision, was suspended for alleged gross misconduct on May 15. Gorain allegedly committed fraudulent activity by changing the mobile number of AERO, replacing it by his own mobile number. Following the report received from the District Election Officer, South 24 Parganas, apart from suspension, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against him. The FIRs were lodged against three persons, including Gorain and a probe was started. The probe will be completed within three months in connection to the incident, people in the know told ET. Gorain allegedly unauthorisedly inserted his mobile number into the login credentials of the AERO for Assembly Constituency 131 (Kakdwip). Using the OTP received on his mobile, he allegedly disposed of applications filed under Forms 6, 7, and 8 through the AERO's login, sources said. According to Election Commission sources, a letter has been sent to the ECI by the Bengal CEO's office in this regard, seeking the log in Ids. Earlier the log in ids were in possession of AEROs and ECI, not with Election Commissions in the states. But following the incident, West Bengal CEO's office has sought the log in ids, people in the know told ET. Live Events West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal told ET that 'strongest action will be taken against persons in case of any lacuna and dereliction of duty .' 'Purity of electoral rolls is as good as conduct of elections,' the Bengal CEO Agarwal pointed out. Following this incident, the WB CEO held meetings with every level of officers, including every level from DEOs, AROs, AEROs to the level of Data entry operators of all 25 districts, sources LoP Suvendu Adhikari, with a delegation, met CEO-Bengal and submitted a letter with the request for "taking immediate steps with regard to conduct free and fair Election by special measures by removing existing District Administration, removing Civic Volunteers from the entire electoral process and recommend for CBI Enquiry for which the FIR lodged at Harwood Point Coastal Police Station, Sundarban Police District over the manipulation of electoral rolls by illegal entry of the names of Bangladeshi Foreigners in the Voter List." Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
7NEWS
22-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Freedom Furniture just dropped a massive sale: Here's how to get 75 per cent off sofas, rugs and more
Freedom has just dropped a massive home sale, and when they say everything is on sale, they mean everything. From luxe leather lounges to statement floor lamps and dreamy modular sofas, there are hundreds of bestsellers now up to 75 per cent off. Whether you're redecorating from scratch, upgrading your living room or finally buying that statement piece you've been eyeing off all year, now's the time to make your move. For a limited time only, shoppers can score up to 40 per cent off sofas, 65 per cent off rugs, 50 per cent off beds and dining furniture, and up to 75 per cent off wall art. It's not just the odd discontinued item either, some of Freedom's most-loved pieces, like the Luka leather range and the Nap sofabed, are now seriously discounted. Big-ticket pieces like the MIA Bed and AXEL Dining Table have been slashed by half. It's not just about saving money (although let's be honest, saving $1,250 on a leather recliner definitely helps). It's about finally creating the space you've always wanted, whether that's a cosy winter lounge, an entertainer's dining area, or a calm, clutter-free bedroom. Here's a look at some of the biggest markdowns you can shop right now from Freedom's sitewide sale: KASPER Floor Lamp, was $99.95, now $74.95 ALL TIME ADORED Framed Canvas, was $249, now $62.25 NAP Fabric Sofabed, was $1,799, now $1,079 ASPECT Fabric Sofabed, was $1,999, now $1,199 CLEO Fabric Modular Sofa, was $2,499-$3,799, now $1,499-$2,279 ASPECT Fabric Storage Ottoman, was $699, now $419 BARRET Leather Electric Recliner Sofa, was $4,799-$4,999, now $3,599-$3,749 ETON Leather Sofa, was $3,199-$3,299, now $2,239-$2,309 LUKA Leather Sofa, was $2,199-$2,599, now $1,539-$1,819 LUKA Leather Armchair, was $1,499, now $1,049 LUKA Leather Ottoman, was $799, now $559 SORRENTO Fabric Modular Sofa, was $4,299-$4,699, now $3,224-$3,524 AERO Fabric Sofa, was $2,299-$2,699, now $1,954-$2,294 BARI Fabric Sofa, was $1,599-$1,799, now $1,359-$1,529 AERO Fabric Armchair, was $1,499-$1,699, now $1,274-$1,444 AERO Fabric Ottoman, was $799-$999, now $679-$849 YAMBA Bar Cabinet, was $1,699, now $679 YAMBA Entertainment Unit, was $1,499, now $599 CANNES Bar Package, was $3,199, now $1,919 MIA Bed, was $1,899-$2,199, now $949-$1,099
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Election Commission official in West Bengal suspended for 'gross misconduct'
KOLKATA: The Election Commission has suspended a systems manager posted at the Kakdwip subdivision in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district for "gross misconduct", an official said. He has been "immediately suspended" following a complaint received from the district administration. "This person has been found guilty of gross misconduct while discharging his official duties," the official said. The accused had added his mobile number to the login credentials of the assistant electoral registration officer (AERO) for Kakdwip, without authorisation, he said. "He then used the OTP which he received on his mobile phone to log into the system before disposing of the applications filed under Forms 6, 7, and 8," the official added.
Scroll.in
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Electoral data deleted in West Bengal security breach: Report
At least 1,000 voters were deleted from the electoral rolls in an Assembly constituency in West Bengal due to an alleged security breach that began in September 2023, the Hindustan Times reported. The breach took place in the electoral roll management system, where the login credentials of four assistant electoral registration officers were allegedly stolen, the newspaper quoted unidentified officials of the poll panel as saying. West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal told the Hindustan Times that he has been informed by the South 24 Parganas district magistrate that the breach may have been started in September 2023. The breach came to light during an enquiry conducted by the electoral registration officers, he added. 'In this case, the assistant system manager's involvement has been confirmed during an inquiry, and it has been alleged that a large number of deletions have taken place,' the newspaper quoted Agarwal as saying. 'However, the extent of deletions or additions or corrections will be known only after a detailed investigation.' An order issued by Agarwal's office on Thursday alleged that the assistant system manager, identified as government employee Arun Gorain, stole the login credentials of Assistant Electoral Registration Officer Swapan Kumar Halder, the Hindustan Times reported. Halder is also the joint block development officer of Kakdwip, a subdivision in the South 24 Parganas district. 'Gorain committed fraud and cheating by inserting his mobile number unauthorisedly in the login credential of AERO [Assistant Electoral Registration Officer]...and disposed of forms 6 [new voter addition], 7 [voter deletion] and 8 [changes in the electoral roll] by from the login [ID] of AERO by using OTP received in his mobile number,' the Hindustan Times quoted the order as having stated. The poll panel suspended Gorain for alleged gross misconduct after receiving the complaint from the district administration, The Indian Express reported. An unidentified election official told the Hindustan Times that Gorain's motive was not yet clear. 'Either it is money or he is in hands-in-glove with some political parties,' the officials were quoted as saying. 'This will be only known once the issue will be taken up by the ECI [Election Commission].' They added that the role of the assistant electoral registration officers and the electoral registration officers also needed to be investigated to ascertain how the alleged security breach went unnoticed for more than a year.
Hindustan Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Amid row over deletion of voter data, Bengal Chief Election Officer asks staffers to file undertakings
The West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Saturday asked system managers and data entry operators to submit undertakings that they would not interfere with any statutory functions, even while using login credentials of electoral officers, amid a probe into the deletion of at least 1,000 voters from electoral rolls in an assembly constituency due to a security breach that began in September 2023. The development comes a day after it was revealed that login credentials of four Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AERO) were used without authorisation. Bengal CEO Manoj Kumar Agarwal said a probe has been initiated into the matter but the South 24 Parganas District Magistrate was yet to act on the request to file an FIR. Asked whether it is a common practice in Bengal for AERO or ERO login credentials to be used by system managers and data entry operators, the CEO said: 'It depends on the level of trust. Someone may ask another to use their credentials in case of excessive workload. However, that does not justify the unauthorised use of credentials to process forms or engage in illegal activities for personal gain.' On Saturday, the state CEO held a workshop in Kolkata where over 100 system managers, assistant system managers, and data entry operators were asked to submit undertakings that they would not interfere in any statutory functions, even while using the login credentials of electoral officers. An order issued by the CEO on May 15 has revealed that an assistant system manager—a government employee named Arun Gorain —unauthorisedly used the login credentials of AERO Swapan Kumar Halder, who is also Kakdwip's joint block development officer. 'Gorain committed fraud and cheating by inserting his mobile number unauthorisedly in the login credential of disposed of forms 6 [new voter addition], 7 [voter deletion], and 8 [changes in the electoral roll] by from the login [ID] of AERO by using OTP received in his mobile number,' the order said. Gorain was suspended on May 15, and a show-cause notice was issued to him on March 17. ' Arun Gorain, ASM, stated that he has taken the matter seriously and has begun taking measures to prevent a recurrence, and expressed his apologies for the inconvenience caused,' Agarwal quoted the response letter as saying. The revelation has also triggered a political slugfest in the state, with leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari claiming that this action proved their allegation that fake names had been included in the voter list. '...This follows This four complaint exposing the shocking connivance between the ERO, AERO, other officials involved in the election management process in the district level across the state and local TMC leaders, who are attempting to delete the names of unsuspecting Hindu Voters from the voter list. This fraudulent the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and undermines democracy,' he posted on X. TMC spokesperson Jay Prakash Majumdar said: 'Roll revision is a critical responsibility of the Election Commission of India which is controlled by none other than PM Narendra Modi appointed election commissioners. So, BJP should own up the responsibility of such misdeeds.' With inputs from Bengal bureau
