NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has objected to the sudden transfer of several senior state bureaucrats and police officials and questioned the timing of the move and sought an explanation from the Election Commission of India regarding the decision.
In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Banerjee expressed “deep concern and surprise” over the Election Commission’s orders issued on March 15 and 16 directing the transfer of several senior officers, including the Chief Secretary, the Secretary (Home and Hill Affairs), and the Director General and Inspector General of Police. She said the sweeping changes had been carried out without citing any allegations of misconduct, violations or lapses related to election duties.
In her letter, Banerjee pointed out that in the past elections, the Commission typically asked the state government to provide a panel of three officers before selecting one for a post created by a transfer. In contrast, she alleged, the recent removals were executed within hours of the election announcement and without seeking such a panel from the West Bengal Government.
Describing the move as “arbitrary,” the chief minister said “it undermines the spirit of cooperative federalism and the established institutional relationship between the state administration and the Election Commission of India”. She added that such unilateral actions risk weakening the credibility and legacy of the constitutional body responsible for conducting elections.
Banerjee urged the “Commission to refrain from similar measures in the future”, stressing that they could “impinge upon the foundational principles” of India’s constitutional framework.
Notably, the Election Commission on Monday ordered a large-scale shake-up of the civil and police leadership of West Bengal, provoking sharp reactions of bias and misuse of authority by the ruling Trinamool Congress in the state. Less than 24 hours after notifications for Assembly elections were issued for four states including Bengal, the EC transferred Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.