Kolkata: The West Bengal government has directed all District Magistrates (DMs) to ensure that ongoing development projects are not affected due to their engagement in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The instruction comes amid concerns that administrative attention may be diverted because DMs, who also serve as District Electoral Officers, are deeply involved in the revision exercise.
According to sources, the state government fears that the dual responsibilities could slow down the monitoring and implementation of crucial development schemes at the district level.
To address this, Chief Secretary Manoj Pant has advised DMs to effectively balance their electoral and administrative roles. “District Magistrates have been asked to rationalise their workload so that neither electoral duties nor developmental activities suffer,” a senior official at the state secretariat, Nabanna, said.
The directive aims to maintain momentum on key welfare and infrastructure projects while ensuring that the electoral revision process continues smoothly across the state.