Kolkata, March 12 (UNI) In a significant administrative move ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday designated government officials as Returning Officers for all 294 Assembly constituencies across West Bengal.
For the first time in the state, the Commission has elevated the level of Returning Officers in 152 constituencies to the rank of Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or officers of an equivalent or higher status, aligning the state with the practice followed in most other parts of the country.
The decision comes despite objections raised earlier by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The communication, sent by Under Secretary Shakti Sharma, was forwarded to the state’s Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal along with a detailed list of the officials assigned to manage the electoral process in individual constituencies.
The newly designated Returning Officers include a broad range of senior administrators from the state government.
Among those selected are Additional District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Officers, secretaries of district councils, district-level officers from the Panchayat and Rural Development Department, as well as officials overseeing minority welfare, scheduled caste and tribal development, and district planning.
The list also features deputy secretaries of district councils, special land acquisition officers, district development officials and deputy directors from the small savings department.
The appointments come at a time when the state is already undertaking a Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls, during which disputed or pending voter entries are being examined and resolved through a quasi-judicial process.
According to officials in the CEO’s office, the matter of appointing Returning Officers was discussed earlier this week during the visit of a full bench of the Commission to the state, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
During interactions with the state’s Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, the Commission had emphasised that officers holding the rank of Sub-Divisional Magistrate or an equivalent position should preferably be nominated for the role.
Traditionally, many constituencies in West Bengal had Returning Officers drawn from the ranks of Deputy Magistrate–Deputy Collector level officials.
However, the latest list indicates a shift from that approach.
For the first time, 152 constituencies will be supervised by Sub-Divisional Magistrates or officers of comparable seniority, bringing the state’s practice in line with the standard followed across most other parts of the country.
The move was implemented despite earlier reservations voiced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
With the new arrangement, every Assembly constituency in West Bengal will now have a Returning Officer drawn from senior administrative ranks.
Specific postings mentioned in the notification include the Sub-Divisional Officer of Mekliganj being assigned to the Mekliganj (SC) constituency and the SDO of Mathabhanga taking charge of the Mathabhanga (SC) seat.
In Cooch Behar district, the District Panchayat and Rural Development Officer has been tasked with overseeing the Cooch Behar Uttar (SC) constituency, while the SDO (Sadar) will handle Cooch Behar Dakshin.
In the Kolkata area, officials from departments such as land records and surveys, district election offices and other administrative branches have been given responsibility for constituencies including Kolkata Port, Bhabanipur, Rashbehari, Ballygunge and Chowrangee.
Returning Officers are central to the management of elections.
Their duties range from accepting and scrutinising nomination papers to supervising the polling process and formally announcing the results in their respective constituencies.
The appointments form part of the Commission’s preparations to ensure an orderly and transparent electoral process ahead of the Assembly polls expected in April.
