The order in this regard came late on Monday. The ECI has sought fresh names from the state government from which it will choose the replacements for these officers. The poll panel also removed Saumya Roy from the post of Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata police (South West).
Though the ECI has not furnished reasons for the removal of the additional and joint chief electoral officers, recently Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said that one of the officers was acting in a partisan manner and helping the state government. A formal complaint was also lodged with the ECI.
The ECI has also asked the state government to transfer Roy to a “non-election related post with immediate effect”.
Roy is the husband of actress-turned-politician Arundhati Maitra who represents the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from the Sonarpur Dakkhin Assembly seat in the Vidhan Sabha.
Sources stated that Roy Chowdhury has been posted in the CEO’s office for over five years. According to the rules, officers who have served three years in a post have to be transferred during elections.
On March 18, the ECI had removed West Bengal director general of police Rajeev Kumar just 48 hours after the announcement of the Lok Sabha elections. Kumar has, over the years, repeatedly courted controversy. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had in February 2019 sat on a dharna when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the residence of Kumar who was then the Kolkata police commissioner.
Kumar was appointed the commissioner of Kolkata police in 2016. However, just before the polls that year, Opposition leaders of both the BJP and Congress alleged that the officer and his team were tapping their phones. Kumar was then removed from the post after the Election Commission asked the state government to do so. However, he was brought back as soon as the polls were over.
Later, the ECI also removed Vivek Sahay, who was given interim charge as DGP, and appointed Sanjay Mukherjee to the post.
Days after removing DGP Rajeev Kumar, the poll panel on Thursday ordered the transfer of district magistrates of Purba Medinipur, Jhargram, Purba Bardhaman, and Birbhum districts in West Bengal ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The four district magistrates are from the West Bengal Civil Service cadre and not Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers.
Special observers appointed
Meanwhile, the ECI also appointed General and Police Special observers for West Bengal and five other states. General Special Observer Alok Sinha is a retired IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre (1986 batch) and Police Special Observer Anil Kumar Sharma is a retired IPS officer of the Punjab cadre (1984 batch).
“Special Observers will station themselves at the State HQs and make a tour, if needed, to the Areas/Districts where sensitivity is high or necessary coordination is required. They can seek requisite inputs from time to time from the Observers deployed in the Parliamentary Constituencies/Assembly Constituencies/Districts in the State, wherever necessary, without interfering in their work,” the ECI order read.
“‘They will have a coordinated approach and make joint efforts in the concerned areas. They will seek inputs and coordinate with Regional Heads and Nodal Officers of various agencies involved in monitoring activities. They will have special focus in border areas and work on border sensitivities in plugging inflow of inducements and also work on seeking inputs on redressal of grievances of the public…,” the EC order added.
“‘They will focus on qualitative monitoring like guidelines being implemented in letter & spirit, inter-agency coordination, quick response to counter false narrative, ensure compliance of DOs & DON’Ts and careful monitoring of the last 72 hours before the poll, to ensure free and fair elections. They will also participate in the meetings of DEOs /SPs /Law Enforcement Agencies to be conducted by the Commission or Zonal Deputy Election Commissioners to share their valuable inputs and past experiences…,” the ECI order stated.