EC Transfers West Bengal Chief Secretary Hours After Poll Announcement

The Election Commission of India has transferred two senior officials, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, from the Mamata Banerjee government hours after announcing the West Bengal assembly election schedule.

According to PTI, the poll panel named Dushyant Nariala, an IAS officer of the 1993 batch, as the state's chief secretary and said Chakravorty would be kept out of poll-related assignments. PTI reported that the commission also removed West Bengal's Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena.

In a letter to the state government sent on Sunday night, the poll panel directed the appointment of Sanghamitra Ghosh, a 1997-batch IAS officer, as principal secretary, Home and Hill Affairs.

"...the officers transferred out shall not be posted in any election-related posts till the completion of elections," the communication, signed by commission secretary Sujeet Kr Mishra, said.

The Election Commission said the decision to transfer the two officers followed a review of the state's poll preparedness. Reported PTI, its directions are to be implemented with immediate effect, and it asked for a report on the joining of the two officers in their respective offices by 3 pm on Monday.

The changes came after the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government's criticism of the poll body over the ongoing SIR exercise in the state. Some in the state's political circles suggested the move was carried out to ensure administrative impartiality during the elections.

The assembly polls will be held in the state on April 23 and 29, and votes will be counted on May 4.

(With inputs from PTI)