West Bengal CEO Meets Political Parties on Polling Station Rationalisation

By A Staff Reporter

Kolkata: The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, convened a meeting with representatives of recognized political parties on August 29, 2025, to discuss and resolve issues related to the rationalisation of polling stations across the state.

The session, chaired by Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Agarwal, began with a detailed briefing on Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. Parties were provided with hard copies of the proposals received from District Election Officers (DEOs), which had earlier been shared by email.

The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) objected to the ECI’s guideline limiting voter travel distance to 2 km, suggesting instead the creation of additional polling stations within existing premises. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and CPI(M) raised concerns that their objections were not recorded in the minutes of DEOs’ meetings, and called for greater accountability.

Another point of contention arose over the proposal to establish polling stations inside high-rise complexes, which BJP supported but AITC strongly opposed. After deliberations, it was unanimously resolved that all parties would submit final objections or alternative proposals by September 8, 2025.

The meeting concluded with guidelines on the appointment of Booth Level Agents (BLAs) for roll revision transparency.