Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday extended the deadline of rationalisation of polling stations in West Bengal by nearly two months while taking a “very serious view” of the failure of district election officers (DEOs) to complete the task in time.
In a letter sent to the state’s chief electoral officer, ECI said that the rationalisation of polling stations in the state and the drive to identify high-rises and group housing societies where polling stations could be set up, was supposed to be completed by the DEOs by December 4, however, the Commission hasn’t received any such proposal from the state.
“No proposal of polling stations has been received in the commission from your office so far. The commission has taken a very serious view of the failure on the part of DEOs in performance of their statutory duty. The DEOs are also liable under the said provisions for any lack of sufficiency of polling stations for electors in the above specified residential colonies,” said the letter, which HT has seen.
During the rationalisation process the need for new polling stations was to be assessed so that the number of voters in no polling station exceeds 1,200. The ECI had earlier directed the DEOs that they should conduct extensive surveys to identify probable locations in high-rises and group housing societies where polling stations could be set up.
“As the rationalization couldn’t be completed in time the ECI has now decided that the draft roll for all assembly constituencies in West Bengal will be published as per the existing polling stations on December 16,” said the official.
The ECI on Thursday directed that immediately after the draft roll is published next week, DEOs would have to conduct a survey of high-rise buildings, group housing societies, RWA colonies, slums and gated societies having at least 250 houses or 500 voters, with details of available rooms at ground floor level and identify suitable accommodation for polling stations within their premises.
“Thereafter, the proposals for rationalization and rearrangement of polling stations including proposals for polling stations in the high rises, group housing societies, slums on the basis of such assessment shall be sent for the Commission’s approval by December 31,” the letter said.
The rationalisation process has to be completed by February 7, 2026. The final electoral roll would be published on February 14, 2026, the letter said.
Meanwhile, a booth level officer (BLO)’s house was allegedly attacked by identified miscreants at Khardah in North 24 Parganas district in the state. Police have launched an investigation on the basis of a complaint lodged by the BLO.
This comes a day after the Supreme Court sought a reply from ECI on whether central forces need to be deployed in West Bengal during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
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