EC to deploy more general, spend & police observers in West Bengal polls

Kolkata: The number of observers, including general observers and police observers, is likely to be increased significantly in the upcoming Assembly elections,

Meanwhile an outline on the publishing of the supplementary list and the changes needed in the software were discussed at a high-level meeting convened by Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul. Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal and Special Rolls Observer Subrata Gupta were present at the meeting.

"An outline of how the supplementary lists will be published has been discussed in today's meeting along with the necessary software changes," Subrata Gupta told media persons after the meeting.


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The chief justice had informed the SC that 10.16 lakh adjudication cases have been disposed of as on March 9. "He has informed that 500+ judicial officers from West Bengal, supplemented by 200 officers from Odisha and Jharkhand, have been deployed and are working day and night," the SC said. "The chief justice will decide on the formation of an Appellate Tribunal of retired judges," Subrata Gupta added.

"The Election Commission of India will issue a notification in consultation with the chief justice of the Calcutta High Court, notifying the former chief justices/judges as appellate tribunal/tribunals," the apex court has said in its order.

The SC said "both sides shall be at liberty to approach the chief justice of the Calcutta HC for the publication of the supplementary list of the persons whose objections already stand disposed of. Once the chief justice of the HC makes recommendations to this effect, the ECI shall do the needful immediately."

More Observers

According to Election Commission sources, the number of general observers is likely to rise to 294 (160) - one for each Assembly constituency - while expenditure observers may increase to about 100 (84). Police observers are likely to increase two to three times compared with 37 in the 2021 Assembly polls, sources told ET.

EC appoints ROs for all 294 seats

The Election Commission on Thursday appointed officials of the West Bengal government as returning officers for all 294 constituencies in the state.

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Sub-divisional officers, district-level officers and other senior administrative officers have been assigned the role of returning officers, according to a notification. Assembly polls are likely to be held in West Bengal in April.

The notification stated that the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Mekliganj has been appointed returning officer for the Mekliganj (SC) assembly constituency, while the SDO of Mathabhanga will serve as returning officer for Mathabhanga (SC) consituency.

Similarly, the District Panchayat and Rural Development Officer of Cooch Behar has been designated returning officer for Coochbehar Uttar (SC), and the SDO (Sadar) of Cooch Behar for the Coochbehar Dakshin constituency.

In the Kolkata region, officials from the land records and survey department, the district election office and other administrative wings have been assigned returning officer responsibilities for constituencies such as the Kolkata Port, Bhabanipur, Rashbehari, Ballygunge and Chowrangee, the notification said.