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In an unprecedented development, West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal personally remained present in the Legislative Assembly on Friday during the scrutiny of nomination papers for Rajya Sabha candidates. The move is being seen as a rare intervention in the nomination scrutiny process.
This is considered the first instance in electoral history where a state Chief Electoral Officer has arrived at the Assembly to oversee the scrutiny of nomination papers. Typically, the responsibility of scrutinising nominations lies with the Returning Officer and the concerned Assembly officials.
The unexpected presence of the CEO has triggered intense speculation in political circles, particularly at a time when the Election Commission is engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. Observers believe that with Assembly elections approaching, the step may have been taken to ensure transparency and fairness in the election process, although it has also sparked fresh debate.
West Bengal
Bihar
Uttar Pradesh
Jharkhand