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West Bengal Considers Legal Challenge to ECI Directive on CEO Autonomy

State officials intend to challenge the Election Commission’s July 17 directive that grants the CEO’s office independent financial authority through a separate election department.

Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc MPs protest against SIR (Special Intensive Revision) exercise in Bihar, during Monsoon Session of Parliament, at Parliament premises in New Delhi on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)
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Overview

  • The Election Commission on July 17 directed West Bengal to delink its Chief Electoral Officer’s office from the Home Department and establish a standalone Election Department with a dedicated budget head.
  • The commission recommended vesting the CEO with financial powers equivalent to principal secretaries and posting a separate financial advisor to support impartial polling preparations.
  • It also instructed the state government to fill four vacant posts—additional CEO, joint CEO and two deputy CEOs—in consultation with the commission to ensure electoral readiness.
  • The West Bengal government views the directive as an overreach and is seeking legal advice to assess its constitutional validity before deciding on a formal challenge.
  • The ruling Trinamool Congress has decried the move as biased intervention, while the BJP has welcomed the plan to strengthen the CEO’s independence ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.