The Election Commission has directed a fresh round of transfers involving 19 senior police officials in West Bengal as preparations intensify for the upcoming assembly elections. Among the key changes, IPS officer Rajesh Kumar Singh has been appointed as the new Additional Director General (ADG) of South Bengal. K Jayaraman will take charge as the ADG of North Bengal. Both officers belong to the 1997 batch, according to an official statement.
Several new Commissioners of Police have also been posted in important urban regions. Pranav Kumar will now serve as the CP of Asansol-Durgapur in Paschim Bardhaman district. Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi has been assigned as the CP of Howrah, while Amit Kumar Singh will head Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas.
Sunil Kumar Yadav has been named the CP of Chandannagar in Hooghly district.
In addition, the Election Commission has ordered changes in the leadership of multiple districts. New Superintendents of Police have been appointed in 12 districts. Puspa will take charge in Barasat, Jaspreet Singh in Cooch Behar, and Surya Pratap Yadav in Birbhum. Kumar Sunny Rai has been posted in Hooghly Rural, while Ishani Paul will oversee Diamond Harbour. Sachin has been assigned to Murshidabad and Alakananda Bhowal to Basirhat.
Further appointments include Anupam Singh in Malda, Anshuman Saha in Purba Medinipur, and Surinder Singh in Jangipur. Rakesh Singh will serve as SP of Islampur, and Papiya Sultana has been appointed in Paschim Medinipur.
In Kolkata, YS Jagannathrao has been designated as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central).
Committed to holding fair polls, says EC
The poll body has instructed that the transfers be implemented immediately, with compliance to be reported by 11 am on March 18. Officers who have been transferred will not be assigned election duties.
Reaffirming its stance, an official said, "The Election Commission is committed to holding transparent, free of fear, violence-free and inducement-free elections."
This reshuffle follows earlier actions by the Commission after election dates were announced. The Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena were transferred, while Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar were removed from their posts.
The elections for the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are scheduled to take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The counting of votes will be conducted on May 4.
