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Bengal Polls: ECI Ensures Senior Officers as Returning Officers Amid Security Revamp

The Election Commission of India has directed the West Bengal government to appoint state officers with requisite seniority as returning officers for the upcoming Assembly elections, with a formal notification issued. The Commission is closely monitoring the law and order situation, holding meetings with state police and enforcement agencies to plan security. In a significant change, ECI-appointed police observers, not District Magistrates, will now determine the movement of Central Armed Police Forces during the election period. District-specific teams will assess CAPF deployment requirements, with the police observers' decisions being final.

Key Points: ECI Mandates Senior Officers as ROs for Bengal Assembly Elections

  • ECI insists on senior state officers as ROs
  • Security meetings held with police, enforcement agencies
  • Police observers to control CAPF movement, not DMs
  • District teams to assess CAPF needs
2 min read

Bengal polls: ECI gets state to appoint senior officers as returning officers

West Bengal appoints senior officers as returning officers for polls on ECI's insistence. Commission tightens security, gives police observers CAPF control.

"The copy of the gazette containing the said notification may be forwarded to the Commission soon after its publication. - Election Commission of India"

Kolkata, March 12

On the insistence of the Election Commission of India, the West Bengal government has now provided state government officers with the requisite seniority for appointment as returning officers for the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state scheduled later this year, the Commission said on Thursday afternoon.

Based on a list provided by the state government, the ECI on Thursday issued the notification for the appointment of ROs and communicated the same to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

In its communication to the CEO, West Bengal, the ECI directed that the list of ROs for all the 294 Assembly constituencies in the state be published in an extraordinary issue of the State Government Gazette, after a thorough verification of the entries made in the table appended to the notification.

"The copy of the gazette containing the said notification may be forwarded to the Commission soon after its publication," the ECI said in its communication to the CEO, West Bengal.

Meanwhile, the ECI is keeping a close watch on the law and order situation in West Bengal, even before the Assembly election schedule is announced.

With this in mind, the office of the CEO, West Bengal, held another meeting with the state police administration and law enforcement agencies on Thursday.

An official from the CEO's office said the first round of meetings was held from 10.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. on Thursday. The second round of meetings will be held on Friday from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

During the second round, the CEO's office will hold a virtual conference with 25 enforcement agencies in the state.

The ECI has already decided that in the Assembly elections this year, the district administration will not determine the movement of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in order to ensure their optimal deployment.

Until the previous elections, District Magistrates, who also function as District Electoral Officers, were authorised to determine the movement of CAPF before, during or after the polls while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in force.

However, this time the Commission has decided that ECI-appointed police observers will determine CAPF movement in the respective districts.

At the same time, sources in the CEO's office said district-specific composite teams would be formed to assess pocket-wise requirements for CAPF deployment, and the decisions of the police observers in this regard would be final.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As an observer, it's reassuring to see the Commission taking proactive steps. The detailed planning with multiple rounds of meetings and virtual conferences shows they are leaving nothing to chance. Hope this translates to a peaceful election on the ground.
P
Priya S
Finally! The state government had to be pushed to appoint senior officers. Why the delay? This is basic preparedness. Bengal's history of poll violence demands this level of scrutiny. ECI must stay firm. Jai Hind!
R
Rohit P
The decision to have ECI observers control CAPF movement instead of DMs is a game-changer. It removes local political pressure. Hope this ensures security forces can act independently to protect voters.
M
Michael C
While the intent is good, I hope this doesn't lead to over-centralization and slow down decision-making during critical moments. The proof will be in the execution. The ECI has a tough job balancing control with efficiency.
K
Kavya N
Transparency is key! Publishing the list in the Gazette after verification is the right process. As a citizen, I want to know who is in charge of my constituency's polling. More power to the Election Commission. 🙏

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