The West Bengal government has urged the Election Commission of India to retract its recent directive halting the transfers of three Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers currently on temporary deputation for the state’s special intensive revision (SIR). The Commission’s Secretary, Sujeet Kumar Mishra, instructed Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty to halt the departmental transfers of Asvini Kumar Yadav, Randhir Kumar, and Smita Pandey.
In response, the state government clarified the rationale behind the transfers, explaining that the officers were given lighter departmental duties to alleviate their workload due to their involvement in the revision exercise. The government emphasized that these transfers were made to reduce their work pressure.
The ongoing tussle between the Commission and the West Bengal government during the SIR process has seen various disputes, including the suspension of electoral registration officers and assistant electoral registration officers, as well as the filing of FIRs against them. The latest discord arises from the Commission’s decision to block the departmental transfers of the three IAS officers.
