Chief Electoral Officer appointment: State writes to ECI

The state government has written a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to find out a new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) who will be replacing Sunil Kumar Gupta whose tenure ended recently.

His tenure came to an end a few months ago but the term was extended due to Assembly election. Gupta became CEO in March 31, 2010.

State government has recommended three names to ECI. They are Aziz Aftab, Principal secretary Self Help Group, Barun Roy, secretary, north Bengal development department and A Subbiah , secretary Paschimanchal development department. However, ECI may turn down the recommendations and appoint someone of its own choice.

Gupta, a 1987 batch IAS officer graduated from Kanpur IIT in Civil Engineering. Later he obtained post graduate degree in Civil Engineering and also MSC in civil engineering from state university of New York, Buffalo. In 2016 Assembly election, the Opposition had demanded his removal for his alleged favouritism. But ECI inquired and found the allegations to be baseless.