Kolkata, April 21 (IANS) As West Bengal is heading for the first phase of the two-phase Assembly polls on April 23 for 152 constituencies scattered over 16 districts, all constituencies in seven out of those 16 districts are under the scanner of the Election Commission of India (ECI) over security concerns on polling days.These seven districts are the two minority-dominated districts of Malda and Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, Cooch Behar, Birbhum, West Midnapore, and West Burdwan.Out of these sev…
Latest Chief Electoral Officer News & Updates
Chennai, April 19 (IANS) With just five days remaining for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the state government to transfer senior IPS officer K.A. Senthil Velan from his post as Inspector General of Police (Intelligence) and appoint Avinash Kumar in his place with immediate effect.In an order issued on Sunday, the ECI instructed that Avinash Kumar, a 2004-batch IPS officer, be posted as the new IG (Intelligence), underscoring the need for a…
Kolkata, April 18 (IANS) The decline in the number of female voters in West Bengal in the current voters’ list from that in the draft voters’ list is marginally higher than a similar decline in the number of male voters following the completion of the special intensive revision exercise in the state. The number of other/transgender voters in the state in the current voters’ list compared to the draft voters’ list also showed a marginal decline in actual numbers, although the percentag…
Kolkata, April 17 (IANS) In an attempt to keep the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s spirit to encourage voters to cast their votes in large numbers in the forthcoming two-phase Assembly election in West Bengal, the office of the District Magistrate, also the District Electoral Officer (DEO), of Darjeeling district, held a unique “Voters’ Pledge” event in the hills on Friday.The ECI posted pictures of that programme on its official social media handle with the caption — “Darjeeling…
Kolkata, April 16 (IANS) In an attempt to keep the polling system in the forthcoming two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal under total surveillance, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to install three CCTV cameras in sensitive booths and two in non-sensitive booths.Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, said that of the three CCTV cameras to be installed at sensitive booths, two will be inside the booths and one will be outside.In non-sensit…
Kolkata, April 16 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the erection of temporary bamboo fencing around unenclosed polling stations — those polling stations without proper boundary walls — to prevent the entry of unauthorised persons.An insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal said that in the course of investigation the Commission representatives have identified several polling stations at unenclosed school buildings without proper boundar…
Kolkata, April 15 (IANS) Before the first phase of the two-phase West Bengal assembly elections on April 23, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, issued strict guidelines to sector officers, presiding officers, and other polling officials on maintaining neutrality during the poll process. An insider from the Chief Electoral Officer’s office said that instructions have been given to these categories of polling officers not to seek or accept any assistance from representati…
Kolkata, April 15 (IANS) The Election Commission has directed District Magistrates, Police Commissioners, and Police Superintendents in West Bengal to visit violence-prone areas in the state and submit a detailed report by 5 p.m. on April 16, an official of the Commission said on Wednesday.In addition, the ECI also asked them to set up mobile, satellite, and wireless communication systems in each polling station.The instructions require senior district and police officials to inspect booths and …
Kolkata, April 12 (IANS) A special team of the Election Commission of India (ECI) will arrive in West Bengal this week for a final review of preparedness for the two-phase voting on April 23 and April 29.Insiders from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that in all probability, the special ECI review team, headed by Senior Deputy Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Bharati, will arrive in Kolkata on Monday morning to review preparedness for the 294 Assembly constituencies in the stat…
New Delhi, April 10 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Friday briefed the 326 Central Observers – General, Police, Expenditure – for the April 23 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, stressing the strict enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct. During the review meeting, the CEC also directed prompt action in case of any complaints of violations.He also instructed the Observers to ensure that Elections are held in a festive mood, free and fair, and free of any kind of induce…