In a significant move ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Election, the Election Commission has carried out what is being described as the largest police reshuffle in West Bengal in recent times, aiming to ensure a free and fair electoral process.
According to official sources, the Commission has approved the transfer and posting of Officers-in-Charge (OCs) and Inspectors-in-Charge (ICs) across a wide swathe of the state. In Kolkata alone, officers have been replaced in 31 police stations, including Bhabanipur, the constituency of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Simultaneously, similar changes have been implemented in 142 police stations across the rest of the state. These include politically significant constituencies such as Nandigram, represented by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, and Berhampore, associated with senior Congress leader and this year’s candidate Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury.
In a letter addressed to the Chief Secretary, the Election Commission stated that it had thoroughly reviewed the proposals submitted by the state government before granting approval for the transfers. The newly appointed officers have been directed to assume charge with immediate effect.
Among key appointments, Soumitra Basu from the Special Task Force (STF) has been posted as the IC of Bhabanipur Police Station. Subhabrata Nath has been appointed IC of Nandigram, while Inspector Subhashis Ghosh has been transferred from the Chandannagar Police Commissionerate to take charge of Berhampore Police Station.
The reshuffle spans nearly the entire state, covering districts from North Bengal to South Bengal, including Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Malda, South Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Midnapore, Birbhum, and Bankura.
In many cases, officers who had been posted in the same district for extended periods have been transferred elsewhere. Additionally, several officers have been brought in from specialised units such as Cyber Crime, Traffic, and the Special Branch to take direct charge of police stations.
The reshuffle has also impacted multiple units within the Kolkata Police, with officers reassigned to strengthen ground-level policing in the city ahead of the polls.
Such measures are routinely undertaken by the Election Commission before elections to maintain administrative neutrality and uphold law and order. However, officials said that the scale of this reshuffle is unprecedented in recent years.
Administrative sources indicate that the move is aimed at ensuring transparency, preventing any undue influence, and reinforcing public confidence in the electoral process as the state heads into a high-stakes election season.
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