Bengal in major reshuffle: Election Commission ousts attorney general, Kolkata Communist Party and other top officials a day after poll schedule released
New Delhi: The ruling Trinamool Congress party on Monday walked out of the Union House in protest after the Election Commission (EC) ordered major transfers of top officials in West Bengal. This happened during polling for 37 federal house seats in 10 states.The Election Commission in a letter on March 15 announced the transfer of West Bengal Chief Secretary and Home and Mountain Affairs Chief Secretary. The poll panel said the changes were made after reviewing the state’s preparedness for the upcoming assembly elections.
TMC MPs including Sagarika GhoshSlamming the Election Commission, he said: “The way the Election Commission handed over the Home Minister and Chief Secretary of Bengal at 4 am in the middle of the night is unacceptable. The Election Commission has these powers but it is misusing them to harm the elected government of Bengal. That is why our party stayed out of the Assembly throughout the day.”
polling
Do you agree with the Election Commission’s decision to transfer senior officials from West Bengal?
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju defended the EC, saying it had the “constitutional power” to carry out such transfers and criticized the TMC for raising the issue in Parliament.
who was transferred
European Commission removes two senior officials from Mamata Banerjee government:
- Chief Secretary: Nandini Chakravorty removed and replaced by Dushyant Nariala (IAS-1993 batch)
- Principal Secretary Home and Hill Affairs: Jagdish Prasad Meena replaced by Sanghamitra Ghosh (IAS-1997 batch)
Other important posts include:
- Director General and Inspector General of West Bengal: Siddh Nath Gupta (IPS-1992)
- Director General, Correctional Services Department: Nataraj Ramesh Babu (IPS-1991)
- Assistant Director General and Inspector General, Law & Order: Ajay Mukand Ranade (IPS-1995)
- Kolkata Police Commissioner: Ajay Kumar Nande (IPS-1996)
The EC letter, signed by Secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra, said the directives come into effect immediately. The transferred officials will not be assigned any election-related duties until the election is over. The compliance report is expected to be submitted by 3pm on March 16.The reshuffle comes after the Election Commission announced the election schedule for four states (West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam) and one Union Territory, Puducherry. The West Bengal Assembly polls will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting on May 4.The move is seen as an effort to ensure administrative neutrality during the elections, especially after the TMC repeatedly criticized the Election Commission over the ongoing special summary revision exercise in the state.
