ECI transfers 83 BDOs, AROs ahead of West Bengal Assembly polls
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Kolkata: The Election Commission of India on Sunday ordered the transfer of 83 Block Development Officers (BDOs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) in poll-bound West Bengal, ahead of Assembly elections scheduled next month.
In a communication sent to Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala through the office of the State Chief Electoral Officer, the Commission shared the list of officials who have been reassigned.
Among the most notable changes are the transfers of BDOs/AROs in the two blocks under the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district. The seat is currently held by Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, who is contesting from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur constituencies.
In Bhabanipur, Adhikari will face Mamata Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress candidate and the incumbent Chief Minister.
As per the Commission’s list, the highest number of transfers—14—have been made in East Midnapore, Adhikari’s home district. This is followed by 11 in South 24 Parganas, seven each in North 24 Parganas and East Burdwan, and six each in Malda and Birbhum districts.
Additionally, four officials have been transferred in Jalpaiguri, three in Cooch Behar, five in Nadia, four each in Murshidabad and Hooghly, two in West Midnapore, four in Bankura, three in Purulia, and one each in North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur, Howrah, and West Burdwan districts.
Since announcing the two-phase election schedule on March 15, the Commission has been carrying out phased transfers of officials across administrative and police hierarchies.
The first phase involved top-ranking bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, and senior police officials such as Director Generals and Additional Director Generals. The second phase covered mid-level officers, including District Magistrates, Deputy Inspector Generals, Superintendents, and Deputy Commissioners.
The current phase marks the third and final round of transfers, targeting officials at the lower levels of the administrative structure, including Additional District Magistrates, Sub-Divisional Officers, BDOs, and their counterparts in the police force such as Additional Superintendents, Deputy Superintendents, Assistant Superintendents, Assistant Commissioners, and Inspectors.
The two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal are scheduled for April 23 and April 29. Polling will be held in 152 constituencies in the first phase and 142 in the second, with results to be declared on May 4.
With IANS inputs