Kolkata: In a sweeping pre-poll intervention, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has intensified its grip on West Bengal’s administrative machinery, ordering the transfer of five senior IPS officers as Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) along with 11 District Magistrates (DMs) ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The reshuffle, effective immediately, places Rathod Amitkumar Bharat in Raiganj Range, Ajeet Singh Yadav in Murshidabad, Shrihari Pandey in Bardhaman, Kankar Prosad Barui in Presidency Range, and Anjali Singh in Jalpaiguri. Officials have been directed to join their new postings without delay, with a compliance deadline set for March 19.
In a decisive move, the Commission has barred all transferred officers from participating in any election-related duties until the completion of the polls—sending a strong signal on ensuring neutrality and fairness.
From Top Bureaucrats to District Chiefs
The transfer of 11 District Magistrates—who play a pivotal role as District Election Officers—marks a significant deepening of the Commission’s intervention at the grassroots administrative level.
This comes on the heels of a dramatic reshuffle at the top, where the Chief Secretary and Home Secretary were replaced within hours of the poll announcement. The police leadership also saw sweeping changes, with new appointments made across key positions including the state police chief, law and order head, and Kolkata Police Commissioner.
Mamata Banerjee Hits Out
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission, terming the developments a “super emergency” and alleging political bias.
She questioned the timing and scale of the reshuffle, claiming that officers across the administrative and police hierarchy were changed even before formal election notification. Despite the overhaul, she asserted that officials working in Bengal remain accountable to the state.
Battle Lines Drawn Ahead of Polls
With voting scheduled in two phases on April 23 and 29 and counting on May 4, the state is heading into a high-stakes electoral contest. The BJP is mounting a strong challenge to the ruling Trinamool Congress, making the political atmosphere increasingly charged.
EC Deploys Massive Observer Network
In parallel, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the deployment of 1,111 Central Observers across five poll-bound states and multiple bypoll constituencies. This includes 557 General Observers, 188 Police Observers, and 366 Expenditure Observers.
The Commission has mandated observers to act as its “eyes and ears,” ensure free and fair voting, and remain accessible to candidates, political parties, and the public for grievance redressal.
With administrative reins tightening and political rhetoric intensifying, Bengal’s electoral battleground is set for a fiercely contested and closely monitored showdown.
From top bureaucrats to district-level administrators, the Election Commission’s sweeping reshuffle underscores an assertive push to control the electoral environment—setting the stage for a fiercely contested and closely watched Bengal election.
