Kolkata, March 12 -- 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 O...