Kolkata: With less than a year left for the Assembly Election in West Bengal, the Election Commission (EC) has directed the Mamata Banerjee government to “delink” the office of Chief Electoral Officer (West Bengal) from its home department, create a election department with financial autonomy and fill up the vacant posts under it.The EC’s step came after IAS officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal was made by the state government an ex-officio additional chief secretary (ACS) of the home and hill affairs (election) department on April 3 this year following his appointment as the CEO(West Bengal) on March 28.“In this regard, the Commission has noted lack of financial and administrative autonomy available to CEO, West Bengal in the existing arrangement, wherein 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 categorized as a subordinate branch of the Home & Hill Affairs Department, which is led by a Principal Secretary level officer whereas the CEO himself is of ACS rank,” according to the EC.“Keeping in view the requirements of functional and institutional independence” the EC ordered the state government in a letter on July 17 for “creation of 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 EC order also includes, “Delegation of suitable financial powers at par with ACS/Pr. Secretary/Secretary of other department be given to the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal. A separate Financial Advisor needs to be posted in the Election Department to assist the CEO in effective discharge of his official duties.”It further sought the state government to “fill up the four vacant posts of Addl./Joint/Deputy CEOs in the O/o CEO, West Bengal in consultation with the Commission” to “ensure institutional preparedness and seamless coordination” for the Assembly polls.
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