Kolkata, Oct 25 (IANS) The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, will introduce a two-tier daily electoral administration system in the state immediately after the notification for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state is issued.

After the notification is issued, an officer in the rank of additional CEO will hold daily interactions with the district magistrates, who are also the district electoral officers, reviewing the daily progress in the revision exercise in the respective districts.

Similarly, a couple of officers in the rank of joint CEO will hold interactions with the electoral registration officers (EROs) reviewing the progress of the revision exercise in areas under the jurisdiction of the EROs.

An insider from the CEO’s office said that this two-tier electoral administration is aimed at bridging any communication gap between the CEO’s office and the district-level electoral administration system.

The entire system will run under the direct supervision of the CEO.

It has also been decided that immediately after the notification for the SIR is issued, the CEO’s office will organize matters with all political parties, and in this respect, also a two-tier system will be followed.

On one hand, the CEO himself will organize a state-level meeting with all political parties centrally at the CEO’s office in Kolkata. On the other hand, the district magistrates, also the district electoral officers, will chair meetings with the district leaderships of all parties in the respective districts.

While at the state-level meeting, the CEO will note the general perspectives, demands, and grievances of the political parties on the SIR, the district electoral officers will take note of district-specific issues relating to the revision exercise.

Already, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has decided to adopt multiple measures to ensure that booth-level officers (BLOs) remain immune from pressure or influence by political parties or the state administration once the revision process begins.

The steps include complete administrative control of the CEO’s office on the BLOs who are state government employees, so that they cannot be transferred by the state administration during the SIR exercise or forced to get engaged in any other administrative duty.

The CEO’s office has been instructed by the ECI to assure BLOs that their security will be given top priority and that any breach or intimidation attempt will be dealt with strictly.

BLOs are being advised to handle pressure tactfully and avoid confrontation, but to immediately report such incidents directly to the CEO’s office, which will then consult the ECI headquarters in New Delhi for suitable action.

–IANS

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