<h1>Election Commission urges full financial and administrative autonomy for West Bengal CEO under new guidelines</h1> The Election Commission has directed the West Bengal government to grant full financial and administrative autonomy to the state's chief electoral officer (CEO), highlighting that the current arrangement limits the CEO's powers and places the office under the Home & Hill Affairs Department. The Commission requested the creation of a separate election department with a dedicated budget, independent from other state departments, to ensure impartial election management. It also called for delegation of financial powers to the CEO equivalent to senior state officials and urged the filling of four vacant senior posts within the CEO's office to enhance preparedness for the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections.