Latest news with #Gorain
Economic Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- Economic Times
Poll panel tightens watch on voter IDs in West Bengal
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is directly monitoring and maintaining strict vigil over the disposal and issuance of EPIC-related documents by Assistant Electoral Registration Officers (AEROs) in West Bengal. This follows allegations of duplicate EPIC cards made by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the cancellation of 7,800 such cards in May alone. FIRs have been filed against three individuals, and assistant system manager of Kakdwip subdivision, Arun Gorain, has been suspended for "dereliction of duty" in South 24 Parganas placed sources in the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, confirmed to ET that surveillance has been intensified following the allegations. FIRs were lodged against three persons, including Gorain, who was suspended on May 15 for alleged gross misconduct. He reportedly changed the mobile number of the AERO to his own in the system. Disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against him based on a report by the District Election Officer. Gorain has since moved the Calcutta High following the busting of several fake passport rackets in the state, the Election Commission is receiving a growing number of EPIC verification queries from the Foreigners Registration Office (FRO) and police."For passport-related applications, we are now being asked to confirm complete EPIC information. In May, we received at least 25 such queries, and 80% of them turned out to be fake," a senior EC official told ET on condition of anonymity. "Daily, we receive multiple letters seeking verification of whether an EPIC was issued by us before a passport is granted," the official added.
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 )
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
The Hindu
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
West Bengal official suspended for ‘tampering' with electoral application forms
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal has suspended Arun Gorain, an assistant system manager in the Kakdwip subdivision of South 24 Parganas district, over allegations of improper disposal of forms related to additions, changes, and objections in the electoral roll. A notification dated May 15, issued by the CEO's office stated that Mr. Gorain's mobile number was allegedly inserted into the login credentials of Swapan Kumar Halder, the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer (AERO) of Assembly Constituency 131 (Kakdwip), who also holds the post of Joint Block Development Officer for Kakdwip. This manipulation reportedly enabled Mr. Gorain to access Mr. Halder's account fraudulently. The CEO's statement further alleged that several applications filed through Forms 6, 7, and 8 had been improperly disposed of following the fraudulent login. OTPs and login credentials meant for Mr. Halder were sent to Mr. Gorain's phone number. According to the Election Commission of India, Form 6 is used to apply for new voter registration, Form 7 is submitted to raise objections against inclusion or deletion in the electoral roll, and Form 8 serves multiple purposes including shifting residence, correcting entries, replacing voter ID cards (EPIC), and marking persons with disabilities. Earlier in March, the Electoral Registration Officer and Subdivisional Officer of Kakdwip issued a show cause notice to Mr. Gorain. In his response dated March 24, he reportedly apologised and assured that measures would be taken to prevent a recurrence of the misconduct. The CEO's notification highlighted that Mr. Gorain's actions amounted to a breach of official duty under Section 32 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, making him liable for prosecution. The suspension drew public attention after Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, shared the notification on social media, welcoming the CEO's action. Mr. Adhikari claimed that the suspension followed a complaint exposing a network of officials and local leaders allegedly conspiring to delete Hindu voters' names from the electoral rolls in various districts. Meanwhile, the CEO inaugurated a one-day capacity-building and training programme on Saturday for system managers, assistant system managers, and data entry operators from all 24 districts of West Bengal. The training focused on enhancing their understanding of specialised electronic systems related to the electoral process. A total of 116 election officials participated in the programme.
