New Delhi, March 16, KNT: India’s election watchdog has removed two senior bureaucrats of the West Bengal government, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, shortly after announcing the schedule for the state Assembly elections, officials said.
The Election Commission of India issued orders directing the state administration to immediately replace the two officers as part of measures to oversee the conduct of the upcoming polls, scheduled later next month.
The decision comes as the Commission steps up administrative changes aimed at ensuring what it describes as a neutral and fair electoral environment in the politically sensitive eastern state.
In its directive, the poll body appointed Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch Indian Administrative Service officer, as the new Chief Secretary of West Bengal. Chakravorty has been instructed to remain away from all election-related duties until the completion of the electoral process.
The Commission also ordered the appointment of Sanghamitra Ghosh, a 1997-batch IAS officer, as Principal Secretary for the state’s Home and Hill Affairs Department, effectively replacing Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena in the role overseeing internal security during the election period.
Officials said the decision followed a review of poll preparedness in the state by the Election Commission, which directed the government to implement the changes immediately and submit a compliance report confirming that the orders had been carried out.
“The transferred officers should not be assigned any election-related responsibilities until the completion of the electoral process,” the Commission said in its communication to the state administration.
Administrative reshuffles by the Election Commission are not uncommon once the model code of conduct comes into effect following the announcement of election dates. The poll body is empowered to order transfers or remove officials it believes could influence the conduct of elections.
However, the move is expected to trigger political reactions in West Bengal, where elections are often marked by intense political rivalry and allegations by competing parties over the neutrality of state administration and security arrangements.
The West Bengal government had earlier been preparing its administrative machinery for the polls, which will determine the composition of the next legislative assembly in the state.
Officials said the Commission had reviewed security deployment, polling logistics and the readiness of the civil administration during its assessment of poll preparedness before issuing the latest directives.
The Assembly elections in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29, according to the schedule released by the Election Commission. The counting of votes will take place on May 4, officials said.
The state, one of India’s most politically significant regions, has frequently witnessed tight contests and heated campaigns during election seasons.
The Election Commission, which is constitutionally mandated to supervise and conduct elections across the country, typically issues administrative instructions to state governments once the poll schedule is announced to ensure that officials involved in election management remain neutral and independent. But this time it took a direct decision bypassing the elected government. The ruling government in West Bengal has alleged that ECI is dancing at the tunes of Modi led BJP Government. [KNT]
