Kolkata, with the Special Intensive Amendment (SIR) of the Election Commission of India (SIR) on 1 October (IANS) is likely to be immediately in West Bengal, there is a new additional CEO and joint CEO in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
Arun Prasad, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 2011 batch of West Bengal cadre, has been appointed as the new additional CEO of the state.
Panicar Harishankar, an IAS officer of 2013 batch, has been appointed as a joint CEO.
An internal source in the CEO’s office said that the current CEO, Manoj Kumar Aggarwal, has confirmed the appointment of Prasad and Harishankar from the headquarters of ECI respectively as the new additional CEO and Joint CEO of West Bengal respectively about the appointment of Prasad and Harishankar.
However, despite the approval of two important appointments, uncertainty continues on the appointment of Deputy CEO. The ECI had directed the CEO’s office in West Bengal to seek three new names for the post of Deputy CEO, to choose one of them for that post.
According to the communication sent from the ECI office, the state government should send the names of three bureaucrats, who have a prior experience of handling the duties related to the election. Generally, officers of State, IE, West Bengal Civil Services (WBCS) cadre are considered for the post of Deputy CEO.
The process of head in West Bengal is full of political disputes, especially amidst strong opposition to practice from the ruling Trinamool Congress. According to the leadership of the ruling party of the state, SIR is a “indirect trick” by the BJP and the central government to slap NRC in the state.
On the other hand, the BJP has claimed that the Trinmool Congress is deliberately opposing SIR in the state to ensure that the names of illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya intruders have not been removed from the list of voters.
The last time Sir was held in West Bengal was in 2022.
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SRC/DPB