Kolkata, March 24: The Election Commission of India (ECI) took a significant step on Monday evening by removing 73 returning officers (ROs) in West Bengal. The state is set to hold elections in two phases on April 23 and April 29.
This development has opened a new front in the ongoing conflict between the Election Commission and the West Bengal government. The state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress have already been at odds with the Commission. Their protests are primarily focused on the transfers of several bureaucrats and police officials, including former Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, former Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, former Acting Director General of Police Piyush Pandey, and former Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.
West Bengal has a total of 294 assembly seats, with one returning officer typically appointed for each seat. With the removal of 73 ROs, approximately 26 percent of the total ROs in the state have been replaced. The Commission issued a notification regarding this matter on Monday night.
Meanwhile, a public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging the ECI’s decision on the transfers of several senior bureaucrats and police officials. The initial hearing on this case took place on Monday.
During the hearing, the ECI’s lawyer informed a division bench of the Calcutta High Court that transfers of bureaucrats and police officials vary according to grassroots needs in every state. The lawyer argued that while the Commission does not possess unlimited authority, it does have the power to make necessary decisions to ensure that the electoral process remains free, fair, and violence-free.
The lawyer also presented details of the bureaucrats and police officials who have been transferred, those who have been replaced, or those who have been sent on deputation to other election-bound states.
The next hearing in this matter has been scheduled for Wednesday by the division bench, which includes Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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