West Bengal Election Allowance: The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal, has issued an official order (No. 4394-Home(Elec) / R3E-43/2026) dated April 3, 2026, detailing the remuneration and election allowances for polling personnel assigned to the upcoming General Election to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. This allowance is explicitly provided in lieu of standard TA/DA and tiffin charges for Central and State Government employees, Local Bodies staff, and other deployed personnel.
Table of Contents
At a Glance
- Presiding Officers will receive a daily duty allowance of Rs. 500, while Polling Officers will receive Rs. 400 per day.
- This represents a significant revision from previous elections, where Presiding Officers received Rs. 350 and Polling Officers received Rs. 250 per day.
- All polling staff will get a refreshment allowance of Rs. 170 on poll day, and Presiding Officers will receive an extra Rs. 50 for mobile recharge.
Polling Personnel Allowance Rates and Previous Comparison
According to the latest information, the daily duty allowance for polling personnel has been substantially increased compared to previous elections. While the previous rates were Rs. 350 for Presiding Officers and Rs. 250 for Polling Officers, the newly established per-duty rates for the 2026 Assembly Election are as follows:
- Presiding Officer: Rs. 500 per day for each training session, material collection, and poll day. The maximum lump sum is capped at Rs. 2000.
- 1st Polling Officer: Rs. 400 per day, with a maximum lump sum of Rs. 1600.
- 2nd/3rd Polling Officer: Rs. 400 per day, amounting to a lump sum of Rs. 1600.
Additional Provisions and Facilities
To ensure the smooth functioning of polling stations, several additional financial provisions have been outlined:
- Contingent Expenditure: Rs. 300 is allocated per polling party for miscellaneous expenses, payable to the Presiding Officer.
- Cell Phone Allowance: An extra Rs. 50 is provided to the Presiding Officer for sending SMS reports during the poll.
- Reserved Personnel: Staff kept in reserve will receive standard duty allowances. A flat rate of Rs. 500 will be paid if a night halt is required on P-1 day.
- Packed Lunch/Refreshment: A sum of Rs. 170 per head is sanctioned for packed lunch on poll day. If logistics fail, direct cash will be disbursed.
- P-2 Day Reporting: Personnel required to report to the Distribution Centre (DC) on P-2 day will earn an additional Rs. 500.
- Master Trainers & Sector Staff: Master trainers engaged by the DEO/RO will get Rs. 500 per training day (max Rs. 1500). DCRC and Sector Staff (non-polling) will receive Rs. 350 for P-1 and Poll day, plus the Rs. 170 lunch allowance.
- Contingent Menials: Group D or contingent menial workers will be paid Rs. 350 per duty day, alongside the Rs. 170 refreshment allowance on poll day.
Election Allowances Details – West Bengal Legislative Assembly 2026
| Role / Beneficiary | Duty / Type of Allowance | Rate (Rs.) |
|---|---|---|
| Presiding Officer | ||
| Presiding Officer | Per Day (Training Day 1-3, Taking Materials, Poll Duty) | 500/- per day |
| Presiding Officer | Lump Sum Remuneration | 2000/- |
| Presiding Officer (Per Party) | Contingent Expenditure | 300/- |
| Presiding Officer | Cell Phone Recharging (For SMS Poll Reports) | 50/- |
| 1st Polling Officer | ||
| 1st Polling Officer | Per Day (Training Day 1-3, Taking Materials, Poll Duty) | 400/- per day |
| 1st Polling Officer | Lump Sum Remuneration | 1600/- |
| 2nd/3rd Polling Officer | ||
| 2nd/3rd Polling Officer | Per Day (Training Day 1-2, Taking Materials, Poll Duty) | 400/- per day |
| 2nd/3rd Polling Officer | Lump Sum Remuneration | 1600/- |
| Special / Additional Allowances | ||
| Reserved Polling Personnel | Night Halt on P-1 Day | 500/- |
| Polling Personnel | Reporting at Distribution Centre (DC) on P-2 Day | 500/- (Extra) |
| All Deployed Staff (Including DCRC & Menials) | Packed Lunch / Refreshment on Poll Day | 170/- per head |
| Master Trainers | ||
| Master Trainers | Providing Training Classes (Per Day) | 500/- per day (Maximum total: 1500/-) |
| DCRC / Sector Staff (Other than Sector Officer, Non-Polling Duty) | ||
| DCRC / Sector Staff | Duties on P-1 Day | 350/- |
| DCRC / Sector Staff | Duties on Poll Day | 350/- |
| Contingent Menials (Non-Polling Duties) | ||
| Contingent Menials | Per Day (Training Day 1-3, Taking Materials, Receiving Materials) | 350/- per day |
Financial Directives
Expenditure for these allowances will be drawn from the Head of Account: “68-2015-Elections-00-106-Charges for Conduct of Election to State Legislature-Administrative Expenditure-001-Assembly Election [HH]-V-50-Other Charges”. The order was issued with the Finance Department’s concurrence vide UO NO: Group D/2025-2026/0412, dated March 30, 2026.
Impact on Employees
- Financial Relief: The hike from the previous Rs. 350/Rs. 250 to Rs. 500/Rs. 400 per day offers better financial motivation for government employees undertaking the rigorous multi-day election duty.
- Elimination of Post-Poll Paperwork: Because this election remuneration strictly replaces standard TA/DA, employees do not need to calculate and submit complex TA bills through HRMS or e-Bantan after the election. This significantly reduces the administrative burden on drawing and disbursing officers.
- Immediate Out-of-Pocket Coverage: Election duties often place personnel in remote locations where immediate cash is necessary. The upfront contingent allowance (Rs. 300), mobile recharge fund (Rs. 50), and meal allowance (Rs. 170) ensure that employees do not have to spend personal money to manage basic polling station operations.
Fact Check: Verified against official Department orders by experienced WB state personnel.
