Kolkata, March 22 The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in West Bengal is set to be moved to a new premises at the building of the Shipping Corporation of India starting Monday, ending an 18-year-long tenure at its Netaji Subhas Road address, officials said on Sunday.
The CEO office, which has been operating at 21 Netaji Subhas Road in the Balmer Lawrie Building for nearly two decades and has overseen multiple state elections, will begin operations at the new location in phases on Monday, with full operations expected soon.
"The relocation process will begin on Monday. The new premises is significantly larger and better equipped to accommodate the growing workforce and operational requirements, especially in view of the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections," a senior official in the West Bengal CEO office said.
The shift comes after months of deliberation, driven by space constraints, rising staff strength, and security concerns at the current location. The existing office, spread across the second and third floors of the Balmer Lawrie building, has faced logistical challenges in recent years.
"There have been persistent issues relating to space and security at the present office. The new location is expected to address these concerns with improved infrastructure," he added.
According to sources, protests outside the current office during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process had also raised safety concerns. The demand for relocation had been flagged by opposition leaders, including Suvendu Adhikari.
Officials said the new office, housed in a central public sector building, will have security cover from central forces. "Adequate security arrangements, including the deployment of central forces, will be in place at the new premises, and security for senior officials will also continue," the official at the state CEO's office said.
The CEO's office functions under the administrative control of the state Home Department. Although the Election Commission had earlier written to the state government seeking an independent setup for the CEO office, no decision has been taken so far.
With the relocation beginning Monday, officials expect improved coordination and efficiency in handling election-related work ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls in the state.