Kolkata, April 4: The Election Commission has suspended Jyotsna Khatun, a Joint Block Development Officer (BDO) and Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) in East Bardhaman district, for serious negligence in her duties.
Khatun serves as the Joint BDO-cum-ARO for the Khandghosh Development Block. Election Commission Secretary Sujit Kumar Mishra sent a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariyala, directing the immediate suspension of Khatun and the initiation of disciplinary action against her.
The letter stated that the Commission’s directives were to be implemented without delay, with a compliance report due by 11 AM on April 4. Additionally, the Election Commission clarified that the number of bureaucrats and police officers transferred by the Commission after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into effect is significantly lower compared to the large number transferred just before the MCC was implemented.
According to data released by the Commission on Friday evening, prior to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) that began on October 27, 2025, and leading up to the announcement of elections on March 16, 2026, the West Bengal government transferred a substantial number of officials, totaling 1,370. This included 97 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, 146 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, 1,080 West Bengal Civil Service officers, and 47 West Bengal Police Service officers.
An insider from the Commission noted that the Election Commission rectified the confusion created by the West Bengal government by transferring a smaller number of officials. Meanwhile, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal issued a social media post on Friday afternoon, claiming that the Election Commission has implemented a zero-tolerance policy to ensure free, fair, and violence-free elections for the 294 assembly seats in West Bengal later this month.
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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