New Delhi, Jan 6: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal, Rajiv Kumar, to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) by 5 pm today in connection with the alleged attack on a poll observer during a field visit last month, officials said.
The directive pertains to an incident involving C Murugan, who was serving as the electoral roll observer for South 24 Parganas district. The incident occurred on December 30 when Murugan was on a field visit to oversee the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
According to the observer’s report, his official vehicle was damaged amid protests at Magrahat, and he faced obstruction while carrying out his duties. The report also flagged serious lapses in security arrangements, alleging that adequate police protection was not provided despite advance intimation to local authorities about the observer’s visit.
After examining Murugan’s report, the Election Commission sought an immediate and detailed explanation from the state police leadership, directing the DGP to outline the action taken in the matter and the steps initiated to prevent such incidents in the future.
The Commission has taken a serious view of the episode, stressing that ensuring the safety and free functioning of election officials is essential for maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.
