Kolkata, 05 March (H.S.): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has expressed concern over the slow pace of preparations for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections in two border districts — South 24 Parganas and Cooch Behar.

In a written communication to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, the Commission indicated that the progress of electoral readiness in these districts has not met expectations. According to sources, the ECI’s senior leadership conducted a virtual review meeting from New Delhi with district-level election officials, senior bureaucrats, and police officers to assess the preparedness of the election machinery.

Based on inputs gathered during the review, the Commission identified several shortcomings in both the pace and quality of preparations. Despite a public holiday on Wednesday on account of Holi, Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharati held a late-night virtual meeting with West Bengal’s election officials, including district magistrates. During the meeting, dissatisfaction was reportedly conveyed over the sluggish progress in South 24 Parganas and Cooch Behar, and officials were directed to expedite preparations to ensure that the electoral process is conducted in a smooth and transparent manner.

Officials further indicated that Bharati will convene another virtual meeting to discuss measures aimed at accelerating preparations and addressing deficiencies flagged during the review.

The full bench of the Election Commission is scheduled to arrive in West Bengal on the night of March 08. On March 09 and 10, the Commission will hold extensive consultations with the state administration and election authorities. Apart from reviewing overall preparedness, discussions will also focus on the judicial scrutiny of documents related to voters placed under the “logical discrepancy” category.

Meanwhile, political activity surrounding the issue has intensified. Leaders and workers of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged an overnight sit-in outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in Kolkata from Wednesday evening. The party has demanded that the Election Commission refrain from announcing election dates until judicial scrutiny is completed and the names of all valid voters are duly included in the electoral rolls.

The protest continued until Thursday morning, with CPI(M) leaders stating that their agitation would persist until the Chief Electoral Officer, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, meets them and addresses their concerns.

The final electoral roll was published on February 28, excluding names kept under judicial scrutiny. Supplementary electoral rolls are expected to be released in phases, depending on the pace of verification.

The developments underscore rising political pressure and heightened institutional scrutiny over voter roll preparation and the conduct of the forthcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh