In a first, EC appoints officers of SDM level & above as returning officers for Bengal polls | India News
New Delhi: The Election CommissionIn a first for West Bengal, it has upgraded Returning Officers (RO) across its 152 assembly constituencies to the level of Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) or Sub Divisional Officer (SDO) and as per the norms followed in the rest of the country.This is seen as encouraging free and fair assembly elections in the state as senior officers are seen as less prone to favoritism and biased behaviour, especially towards the ruling party.Sources termed the move as historic as West Bengal was the only state to have more below the level of SDM or equivalent since independence, when every state/UT provided officers of SDM/Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) level and above. “West Bengal is the only state which has not complied with EC directives dated 26.06.2023 in this regard and providing junior officers at the level of Block Development Officer (BDO) etc. for appointment as RO. The EC had sent reminders to the West Bengal government on January 20 and February 2, 2026 to rectify it,” an EC official said.Finally, on the EC’s insistence, the state government agreed to exempt officers of requisite seniority as returning officers. Based on this, the EC on Thursday issued further recruitment notifications for all 294 assembly constituencies for the upcoming assembly elections, including 152 constituencies where the state had earlier offered junior officers.
