Kolkata, March 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her concerns regarding the recent transfers of several IAS and IPS officers in a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday.
The Chief Minister alleged that these large-scale transfers of administrative officials occurred immediately after the announcement of the assembly elections, without any substantial reason or allegations.
In her letter, she noted that the removal of top administrative officials in West Bengal took place just hours after the announcement of the 2026 assembly elections, which she described as surprising and alarming. She criticized the decision as arbitrary, stating that the state government was not consulted for a panel of officials, a practice that has been followed in previous elections between the Election Commission and the state government.
This development emerged as the Election Commission executed a significant reshuffle in the state administration. The Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and Home Secretary J.P. Meena were transferred overnight. Additionally, several senior police officials, including the Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner, were also removed from their positions.
These changes occurred just hours after the Election Commission issued the notification for the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
Mamata Banerjee objected to this move, stating that such actions undermine the spirit of cooperative federalism and the principles of democratic governance. She urged the Election Commission to exercise its powers while maintaining the core spirit and values of India’s federal structure.
She also requested the Election Commission to refrain from making unilateral decisions in the future, warning that such actions could impact the credibility and institutional integrity of the Commission.
Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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