The West Bengal government has granted seniority to state government officers as returning officers (ROs) for the upcoming Assembly elections, following the Election Commission of India’s directive. The EC issued a notification based on the state government’s list, instructing the Chief Electoral Officer to publish the list of ROs for all 294 Assembly constituencies in the State Government Gazette.
In response to the EC’s directive, the CEO of West Bengal was directed to verify the entries in the notification thoroughly before publication. The EC emphasized the importance of forwarding the gazette containing the notification promptly after its publication for review.
The Election Commission is closely monitoring the law and order situation in West Bengal ahead of the Assembly elections. Meetings between the CEO’s office, state police administration, and law enforcement agencies have been ongoing to ensure preparedness for the upcoming polls.
The CEO’s office is set to conduct virtual conferences with 25 enforcement agencies in the state to coordinate security measures. Additionally, the movement of Central Armed Police Forces during the elections will be determined by ECI-appointed police observers, deviating from past practices where District Magistrates had this authority.
