Calcutta, Dec. 7: The Election Commission has rejected the Bengal government's proposal of relieving chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta and send him back to the state cadre, saying the officer cannot be released until a replacement is selected.

The CEO's replacement is selected from among IAS officers recommended by the state government. Soon after beginning her second term, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had made it clear she wanted Gupta in her administration and sent to the Election Commission a panel of names for selection of the next CEO.

However, in August, the commission sent back the list of three officers and asked the government for a fresh panel. Since then, the government has not sent a list.

Sources said that a few days ago, the state government wrote to the Election Commission, requesting it to release Gupta as he had served more than six years in the CEO's post.

"The state had pointed out that the next major election - the 2019 Lok Sabha polls - was some time away and the list would be sent much ahead of that. But the commission made it clear that Gupta cannot be released until a fresh panel is sent," a Nabanna source said.

Another official said that by rejecting the Bengal government's plea, the commission had sent the message that it would exercise extreme caution in ensuring that an officer of the required calibre is made the CEO, under whose watch the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be held in Bengal.

A retired bureaucrat said the state would have to send a fresh list if it wanted Gupta back in the Bengal administration.

Sources in the chief minister's office said the government was rethinking its decision of not sending the list anytime soon.

"The chief minister was not pleased after the first list was rejected. She had hinted to officials that no fresh list would be sent for the time being. But the government is taking a relook at such a plan," a CMO source said.

According to sources, the government is likely to suggest three options - youth affairs secretary S.A. Baba, WBIDC managing director Surendra Gupta and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration secretary R.I. Singh.