Calcutta High Court Quashes EC Move to Appoint Professors as Presiding Officers

MP,, Apr 18, 2026, Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Friday set aside the Election Commission of India’s decision to appoint assistant and associate professors of government colleges as presiding officers for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, holding that the move lacked justification under existing norms.

Justice Krishna Rao observed that the Commission failed to place any material on record to demonstrate “unavoidable circumstances” warranting such appointments. The court noted that the poll body’s own guidelines require recorded reasons before deploying Group A equivalent officers, including teaching staff, for polling duties in exceptional situations.

The issue had first come up on April 13, when the petitioner relied on an Election Commission communication cautioning against assigning such officials without documented necessity. The court had then directed the Commission to produce relevant records. Despite further opportunity granted on April 16, no supporting documents were submitted.

Rejecting the Commission’s defence that a 2023 circular had relaxed earlier norms and citing the scale of elections, the court held that administrative convenience cannot override procedural safeguards.

Counsel for the petitioners argued that the appointments ignored rank and service conditions, pointing to instances where lower-ranked staff were given supervisory roles while professors were assigned booth duties.

The court also examined concerns over potential disruption but was told that a sufficient reserve pool of officials was available.

While quashing the appointments, the court clarified that professors who have already undergone training and are willing to serve will not be affected.