Election Commission suspends Nalbari poll officer who publicly misbehaved with DC

The Election Commission of India has suspended Arpana Sarmah, Circle Officer of Paschim Nalbari Revenue Circle and Assistant Returning Officer (AERO) for Tihu Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC), for insubordination and negligence in her election duties. 

The suspension follows an incident in which Sarmah had reportedly declined to perform her duties and got into an altercation with the DC and tried to film her senior.

Speaking to IndiaTodayNE, Nalbari DC Varnali Deka stated, "All actions taken were election-related, and we conducted a peaceful election. Every communication was made official. One of the circle officers was assigned to work in a specific area, but when I visited at approximately 12:15 PM, I found all materials and EVMs lying around, not yet shifted to the strong room despite the work being completed. I requested the three to four officers present to move the materials to the strong room so we could proceed. Everyone complied except for her; she refused to do her work and recorded the situation. Around 2 AM, she abandoned her post, leaving the area and failing to complete her duties. This caused significant chaos, as I had to reassign someone to finish her work. It was a complete negligence of election-related responsibilities, as she absconded from her post. I reported the matter to the authorities according to guidelines, and all procedures were followed correctly."

The suspension order, issued on May 15, 2024, was confirmed by the Chief Electoral Officer of Assam on May 16, 2024. It outlines Sarmah’s abandonment of election duties, disruptive behavior, and gross negligence related to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. 

Pending the initiation of departmental proceedings under the Assam Services (Discipline & Appeal) Rules, 1964, Sarmah is to remain suspended until further notice.

During her suspension, Sarmah’s headquarters will be the Office of Director of Land Records and Surveys in Guwahati, Assam, where she will receive a subsistence allowance as per regulations.

The incident that led to Sarmah’s suspension occurred on May 8, 2024, when she filed an FIR against DC Varnali Deka, further escalating the conflict between the two officials. The situation has significantly disrupted election preparations in the district.