EC transfers seven police officers in West Bengal

Kolkata: The Election Commission on Monday transferred seven police officers in West Bengal, a day before the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in the state.

According to a notification issued by the EC, three police officers in Murshidabad district, two police officers in Paschim Burdwan district, a police officer in North 24 Parganas district besides the SDPO of Bishnupur in Bankura district have been transferred.

"The officers being transferred are not to be involved by the state government in any election-related duties," the notification said.

IC Raghunathganj Saikat Roy, IC Farakka Uday Shankar Ghosh, SI Shamsherganj Bidhan Haldar in Murshidabad district, Ajay Mondal of Baraboni police station and Rajshekhar Mukherjee of Andal police station in Paschim Burdwan district have been removed by the EC, the notification said.

Besides Sukamal Kanti Das, the SDPO of Bishnupur in Bankura district, Krishnendu Ghosh, IC Bijpur in North 24 Parganas



district was also transferred by the Commission.

It also requested the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer Aariz Aftab "to ensure that the officers transferred must be relieved forthright, without waiting for the reliever, by handing over charge to the officer, whom they report to." 

So far, the Commission has transferred nearly 12 police officers, including Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and replaced him by Dr Rajesh Kumar.

It had also transferred Commissioner Bidhannagar city police Gyanwant Singh and removed the Superintendents of Police in Birbhum and Diamond Harbour districts.

The transfer of the senior police officers had drawn the ire of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had alleged that it was done at the "behest" of the opposition BJP leaders.

Prior to the second phase of polling in three Lok Sabha constituencies of Darjeeling, Raiganj and Jalpaiguri, the EC had transferred Malda SP Arnab Ghosh.