New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) Election Commission officials on Monday said the top-level shake-up in the West Bengal civil and police administration was in line with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s assurance to hold violence-free polls in the state.
EC has removed the state chief secretary, police chief, Kolkata police commissioner and others, and has appointed new officials as their replacements.
EC has also told the state government that the shunted-out officers should not be given any election-related assignment.
The assembly polls will be held in the state on April 23 and 29, and votes will be counted on May 4.
In his press conference on Sunday, CEC Kumar assured that the elections in West Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful. In line with the objective, EC appoints and transfers senior police officials including the DGP and Kolkata CP,” a functionary said.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) called the EC’s reshuffle of senior administrative and police officials a “panic reaction by a party that realises it cannot win elections through democratic means”, while the opposition BJP and CPI(M) hailed the rejig as a “step towards free and fair polls”.
After the announcement of the poll schedule for West Bengal, EC removed Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.
It said the removed officials would not be given poll-related assignments. The poll panel said the decision was taken following a review of the poll preparedness of the state. PTI NAB NAB KSS KSS
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