Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee criticized the Election Commission of India for reshuffling senior police officers in West Bengal, calling their actions whimsical. The Election Commission transferred over a dozen IPS officers in the state to ensure fair policing during the upcoming Assembly elections. Banerjee questioned the rationale behind the reshuffle, alleging political motives and lack of transparency in the appointment of Election Commissioners.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also criticized the ECI for transferring bureaucrats and police officers and sending them to other states as observers. The ECI partially reversed its decision by retaining two IPS officers, Murali Dhar and Syed Waquar Raza, in West Bengal. The remaining 13 officers will be deputed to states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala as observers during the Assembly polls.
The Election Commission had earlier decided to shift all 15 officers out of West Bengal, including officers like Akash Magharia and Alok Rajoria. Murali Dhar and Raza were serving as Police Commissioners in Bidhannagar and Siliguri respectively. The ECI’s actions have sparked criticism and concerns about the transparency and fairness of the electoral process.
