The Election Commission (EC) on Monday evening transferred 73 Returning Officers (ROs) in West Bengal, including that of the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency, from where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting against BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari.
Among those transferred, a majority of the officers belong to the West Bengal Civil Services (WBCS).
Among those transferred, 13 officers are from North 24 Parganas, 10 from South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur each, four from Malda, Murshidabad, Kolkata North each, three officers from Nadia, Howrah, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipur, Paschim Bardhaman each, two from Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Kolkata South, Bankura each, and one each from Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, Dakshin Dinajpur, Purulia and Purba Bardhaman.
According to EC’s order, the state Chief Electoral Officer had proposed the transfers “for free and fair election”.
“I am directed to refer to your emails, dated 19.03.2026 & 23.03.2026 on the subject above and to state that the Commission has agreed to your proposal regarding transfer/posting of Returning Officers in the State of West Bengal, as per the list enclosed… You are requested to direct the officers to report to the ACs concerned, latest by 5 pm on 24.03.2026 (Tuesday), without fail, so that they can attend the training program scheduled at 11:00 am on 25.03.2026 (Wednesday),” read the letter sent to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Agarwal, by EC (Secretary) Sujeet Kumar Misra.
A senior officer of state administration said, “These transfers are unprecedented. Returning officers are the main person in charge of an Assembly constituency and take final decisions during the polling and counting. So, such large-scale transfers are very significant and unprecedented as well.”
The latest round of transfers follows a series of such orders beginning from the removal of the chief secretary, home secretary, DGP, and Kolkata Police Commissioner just hours after the Election Commission announced the poll schedule.
Story continues below this ad
This was followed by the transfer of 12 Superintendents of Police, four Police Commissioners, and one Deputy Police Commissioner.
The EC also ordered deployment of 478 central observers to oversee the election process in the state – the highest compared to the five states/UT going to polls next month.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
