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Bengal IAS Officers Deputed as Central Poll Observers in Tamil Nadu

The Election Commission of India has deputed six more IAS officers from the West Bengal cadre to serve as central poll observers in Tamil Nadu, which is also heading for elections. Among them, P. Ulaganathan and Shama Parveen are secretaries to the West Bengal state government, holding key departmental charges. This move follows the earlier deputation of two other secretary-rank officers, Priyanka Singla and P. Mohangandhi, to other states. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to the Chief Election Commissioner, expressing anguish and accusing the ECI of undermining the state government's authority through these large-scale transfers.

Key Points: ECI Deputes Bengal IAS Officers as Central Poll Observers

  • Six Bengal IAS officers deputed as observers
  • Two officers hold secretary rank
  • Deployed to Tamil Nadu for polls
  • CM Banerjee protests transfers
2 min read

ECI deputes six more Bengal IAS officers as central poll observers

Six West Bengal cadre IAS officers, including two secretaries, deputed as central poll observers in Tamil Nadu by Election Commission.

"unconstitutionally undermining the authority of the elected state government - Mamata Banerjee"

Kolkata, March 19

The Election Commission of India on Thursday ordered the deputation of six more Indian Administrative Service officers from the West Bengal cadre as central poll observers in other poll-bound states.

Among the six IAS officers, two are of the rank of departmental secretaries. All six have been deputed as central poll observers to Tamil Nadu, which is also heading for polls next month, like West Bengal.

"The six IAS officers deputed to Tamil Nadu are Preeti Goel (2013 batch IAS), Siyad N (2014 batch), Arvind Kumar Meena (2010 batch), Rani A. Ayesha (2009 batch), P. Ulaganathan (2006 batch), and Shama Parveen (2013 batch).

"All six have been assigned responsibilities as election observers in different districts of Tamil Nadu. Ulaganathan and Shama are secretaries to the state government.

"Ulaganathan is the Secretary of the state Panchayat Affairs and Rural Development Department. In addition, he also holds charge as Secretary of the West Bengal Electronics Testing and Standards Department under the Department of Information Technology and Electronics.

"Shama, on the other hand, is the Secretary of the North Bengal Development Department. In addition, she holds the additional charge of Principal Secretary of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA)," the party's state committee member said.

On Wednesday, the ECI had deputed two other officers of the rank of departmental secretary as central observers to other states.

One of the two officers was Priyanka Singla, a 2012-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, currently posted as Special Secretary in the state Civil Defence and Disaster Management Department. The other was P. Mohangandhi, a 2004-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, currently posted as Secretary in the state Commerce and Industries Department.

Earlier on Thursday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote another letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, expressing anguish over the large-scale transfer and deputation of bureaucrats and police officers from the state since the Model Code of Conduct came into force on Sunday afternoon.

She also accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of unconstitutionally undermining the authority of the elected state government.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
While I understand the need for impartial observers, the timing and scale of these deputations do seem disruptive. The CM has a point about the functioning of the state administration being affected. There must be a balance.
R
Rohit P
Good move by ECI! Sending senior officers like secretaries shows they are serious about monitoring the polls. Tamil Nadu is a complex state politically, so experienced observers are needed. 👍
P
Priyanka N
Interesting to see officers from Bengal cadre being sent to TN. Hope they can handle the local dynamics there. Elections are the festival of democracy, and such steps are necessary to keep it clean.
V
Vikram M
The letter from the CM is concerning. If the ECI is overreaching, it sets a bad precedent. The autonomy of state governments must be respected, even during elections. This needs careful scrutiny.
K
Karthik V
As a citizen, I just want peaceful and fair elections. If moving some officers around helps achieve that, I'm all for it. The names listed seem like capable officers. All the best to them for their duty!

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