Election Commission removes West Bengal's top bureaucrats

Barely hours after the announcement of the West Bengal assembly poll schedule, the Election Commission removed two of the state's top bureaucrats from the Mamata Banerjee administration: Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena.

Appointments with immediate effect

The commission appointed Dushyant Nariala, an IAS officer of the 1993 batch, as the state's new chief secretary, while Chakravorty was directed to be kept out of all poll-related assignments.

Sanghamitra Ghosh, a 1997-batch IAS officer, was appointed as principal secretary, Home and Hill Affairs, replacing Meena.

Officers barred from election duties

In a letter to the state government sent on Sunday night, the commission made its position clear. "...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.

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The poll panel asked for a report confirming the joining of the two new officers in their respective offices by 3 pm on Monday.

Decision termed 'poll preparedness'

The Election Commission said the decision to remove the two officers was taken following a review of the poll preparedness of the state.

The reshuffle, unprecedented in West Bengal's recent administrative history, was enforced in the wake of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress dispensation's constant criticism of the poll body over the ongoing SIR exercise in the state.

A move to ensure impartiality

Some corners of the state's political circles maintained that the move was carried out to ensure administrative impartiality during the elections.

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

(With agency inputs)