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EC Shakes Up Bengal Police Top Brass Ahead of Crucial Polls

The Election Commission has ordered a major reshuffle of West Bengal's police leadership, replacing the acting Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner. This move follows the Commission's earlier removal of the state's Chief Secretary and Home Secretary from election-related duties. The transfers are part of the EC's effort to ensure peaceful and violence-free elections in the state. Voting in West Bengal is scheduled for April 23 and 29, with counting on May 4.

Key Points: EC Replaces Bengal's Acting DGP, Kolkata Police Chief

  • Acting DGP Peeyush Pandey replaced
  • Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar replaced
  • Law & Order chief Vineet Goyal also removed
  • Transfers follow removal of top bureaucrats
2 min read

After top bureaucrats, EC now replaces Bengal's acting DGP, Kolkata Police chief

Election Commission transfers key police officers in West Bengal, including acting DGP and Kolkata Police Commissioner, ahead of two-phase state elections.

"elections in West Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful - Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar"

Kolkata, March 16

The Election Commission of India on Monday announced the replacement of key police officers in West Bengal, including the acting Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.

As per the Commission's order, Siddh Nath Gupta, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1992 batch, has been made the new DGP, replacing acting DGP Pandey.

Similarly, Ajay Kumar Nand, a 1996-batch IPS officer, had been made the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police, in place of Sarkar.

Both Pandey and Sarkar were appointed on January 30.

Director General, Law & Order, Vineet Kumar Goyal, had also been removed and replaced by Ajay Mukud Ranade, a 1995-batch IPS officer, but as Additional Director General, Law & Order.

Goyal is a former Kolkata Police Commissioner, who was removed from the post soon after his name was dragged into controversy after the ghastly rape & murder of a junior doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises in August 2024.

In the same order, the Commission had ordered the posting of Natarajan Ramesh Babu, a 1991-batch IPS officer, as the Director General, Correctional Services.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, in his press conference to announce the election dates on Sunday, assured that elections in West Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful. In pursuance of this objective, ECI issued these transfer orders.

The EC had on Sunday night ordered the transfers of Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, and Home Secretary, Jagdish Prasad Meena, and that both will not be involved in any kind of election-related duty.

While Dushyant Nariala replaced Chakraborty, Shanghamitra Ghosh replaced Meena.

Elections in West Bengal are scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and 29. Counting will be held on May 4.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
The transfer of Vineet Goyal is particularly telling. If an officer's name is linked to such a horrific incident, they should not be in a sensitive post. EC's move is a step towards accountability. 🙏
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Aman W
Good decision by ECI. But let's be honest, this musical chairs of top officers just before elections happens every time. The real test is whether the new officers can actually control the ground situation without bias.
S
Sarah B
As an observer, it seems like a massive administrative overhaul. Replacing the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, DGP, and Police Commissioner all at once is a strong signal. Hope it leads to a smooth electoral process.
V
Vikram M
The officers appointed in January are being replaced in March. This shows the previous postings were perhaps not neutral from the start. EC should have a permanent mechanism to vet such sensitive appointments in poll-bound states.
K
Kavya N
My family is from Bengal. We just want peaceful voting without any fear or intimidation. If changing officers helps achieve that, then it's welcome. Fingers crossed for April 23rd and 29th! 🤞

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