The Election Commission of India has instructed the former Kolkata Police Commissioner, Supratim Sarkar, to take up a role as a police observer in Tamil Nadu. Sarkar, who was appointed as Kolkata Police Commissioner just before the announcement of polling dates in West Bengal, was replaced by Ajay Nana following the Model Code of Conduct enforcement. Despite opposition demands, especially from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Sarkar has been directed to serve as a police observer in Tamil Nadu during the upcoming elections.
Sarkar, currently serving as the additional director general of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police, will be deployed as the police observer for several Assembly constituencies in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. While Sarkar requested relief from this deputation due to medical reasons, the Commission is yet to make a decision on his plea.
The opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party, had raised concerns about the potential influence of officers like Sarkar on the polling process in West Bengal if they remained in the state during elections. The Election Commission’s decision to send Sarkar to Tamil Nadu aims to ensure impartiality in the electoral process and prevent any perceived bias in favor of a particular political party.
