Bhiwandi Election Officer Faces Case For Neglecting Voter Registration Duties
A Booth Level Officer in the Bhiwandi East Assembly Constituency is facing criminal proceedings after allegedly failing to perform his official election-related duties. Ananta Shivram Gare, who serves as a clerk attached to Ward Committee No. 2 of the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation, was deployed as a Booth Level Officer for the ongoing Special Intensive Revision campaign in Bhiwandi.
The legal action was initiated following complaints that Gare had failed to properly distribute the prescribed voter registration application forms to eligible voters. The distribution of these forms is an essential responsibility entrusted to Booth Level Officers under the official election programme.
Upon receiving the complaints, Vinod Manore, the Assistant Electoral Registration Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Ward Committee No. 2, conducted an official inquiry into the matter. Manore subsequently submitted a detailed inquiry report to Amit Sanap, the Electoral Registration Officer for the Bhiwandi East Assembly Constituency.
The inquiry findings concluded that Gare had failed to discharge his official responsibilities. Consequently, election authorities have initiated action against him under Section 32(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. This legal provision allows for penal action against officials who neglect the election-related duties assigned to them under the Act.
Officials have confirmed that the formal process of registering a criminal case against the municipal employee has begun in accordance with these legal provisions.
According to election officials, this development is intended to send a strong message to all personnel engaged in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision exercise. The Election Department has been closely monitoring the performance of Booth Level Officers across the region to ensure the timely and transparent completion of the electoral roll revision process, and has warned that negligence in voter roll-related work will invite strict legal consequences.
