Kolkata: Election Commission has asked Bengal govt to provide more “administrative and financial autonomy” to the state’s chief electoral officer, requesting it to carve out a separate “election department” and give it a separate budget.The commission also asked the state to quickly fill up vacant senior officers’ posts in the CEO’s office ahead of the 2026 assembly polls. Since the formation of the EC in 1950, the Bengal CEO’s office has functioned under the state home and hill affairs department with limited financial powers.The EC’s letter to Bengal chief secretary Manoj Pant on July 17 referred to the need for “financial and administrative autonomy” twice.The letter, a copy of which is with TOI, said: “The Election Commission has noted the lack of financial and administrative autonomy available to the CEO, West Bengal, in the existing arrangement, wherein the CEO’s office functions with limited financial powers relying on a minor permanent advance from the finance department. Further, the CEO’s office has been categorised as a subordinate branch of the home and hill affairs department, which is led by a principal secretary-level officer, whereas the CEO himself is of ACS (additional chief secretary) rank.”EC then went on to specify what it sought from the Bengal govt. “In light of the above and keeping in view the requirements of functional and institutional independence,” the commission said it wanted the state to create “a separate election department, completely delinked from any other department of the state government”.“The election department should have a dedicated budget head. This will facilitate full financial and administrative autonomy to the CEO, as required for the effective and impartial conduct of elections,” the letter said.The poll panel also asked for the “delegation of suitable financial powers at par with ACS/Pr. secretary/secretary of other departments be given to the chief electoral officer, West Bengal. A separate financial adviser needs to be posted in the election department to assist the CEO in the effective discharge of his official duties”.EC also wanted Bengal govt “to fill up the four vacant posts of addl/joint/deputy CEOs” in consultation with EC. The commission said this was imperative “in view of the upcoming general election to the legislative assembly of West Bengal, to ensure institutional preparedness and seamless coordination”.
