Court Clears Way for Professors' Poll Duty in West Bengal Elections

The Calcutta High Court's division bench has permitted assistant professors from state government colleges to serve as presiding officers in the upcoming West Bengal assembly election. This decision overturns a prior single bench ruling that nullified their appointment due to lack of justification from the Election Commission.

Justices Shampa Sarkar and Ajay Gupta emphasized the necessity for assistant professors to understand the Election Commission's staffing requirements, even as they revisited the earlier verdict. The decision was contested by members of the West Bengal Government College Teachers' Association who opposed their involvement in the election duties.

The legal contention arose from a petition challenging the professors' appointments for the elections scheduled on April 23 and 29. While the single bench initially sided with the petitioners citing insufficient documentation, the division bench supported the Election Commission's requisition amid election urgency.