Kolkata, March 17: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed her concerns regarding the recent transfers of several IAS and IPS officers in the state, in a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Monday.
In her letter, Banerjee alleged that the large-scale transfers of administrative officials occurred immediately after the announcement of the assembly elections, without any solid justification or allegations.
She noted that the top administrative officials in West Bengal were removed just hours after the announcement of the 2026 assembly elections, describing the move as surprising and alarming. Banerjee criticized the decision as arbitrary, stating that the Election Commission did not seek a panel of officials from the state government, which has been a customary practice in previous elections.
This development comes on the heels of a significant reshuffle in the state administration by the Election Commission. The Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, and Home Secretary, J.P. Meena, were transferred overnight, along with several senior officials from the police department, including the Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner.
Banerjee raised objections to this action, arguing that such measures undermine the spirit of cooperative federalism and the principles of democratic governance. She urged the Election Commission to refrain from making unilateral decisions in the future, warning that such actions could impact the credibility and institutional dignity of the Commission.
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DSC