ECI removes Bengal returning officer, 2 others

The Election Commission of India(ECI) on Tuesday removed three officials including thereturning officer of the Ballygunj assembly constituency inKolkata, according to an order.

The two other officials are the Sub-divisional PoliceOfficer (SDPO) of Haldia and the Circle Inspector (CI) ofMahishadal in Purba Medinipur district.

Arindam Mani, who has been posted in the same officefor more than 10 years and is currently the returning officerof the Ballygunj seat, shall be transferred to a non-electionpost immediately, the ECI stated in a communication to theWest Bengal CEO.

The ECI also sought a panel of three officers forfiling the returning officers post at the earliest.

It also removed Haldia SDPO Barun Baidya and replacedhim with Uttam Mitra.

The BJP recently lodged a complaint with the CEOalleging that Baidya is close to the ruling TrinamoolCongress.

He shall not be given in any election-related posttill the completion of the polls, the order said.

The ECI also removed CI of Mahishadal, Bichitra BikasRoy, and brought in Sirsendu Das in his place.

Das is currently posted as the inspector at thecircuit bench in Jalpaiguri, the order stated.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)