Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) had sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the police officers whose transfer orders were announced after February 28, which was the date of the publication of the final voters’ list, minus those cases which were referred for the ongoing judicial adjudication after being classified under the “logical discrepancy” category.
In the letter from the Additional Chief Electoral Officer (ACEO) to the Additional Director General of Police (legal) & state police nodal officer for the polls, the Commission also sought a report on police officers who have been employed after superannuation.
In another communique to the state government, the ECI had also sought the details of those police officers under whose jurisdiction incidents of poll–related violence occurred both in the 2021 state Assembly elections and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“In continuation to the earlier Memo as noted above along with the reply referred to above, I am directed to request you to provide another list of police station level officers under whose jurisdiction incidences of pre-poll, as well as poll-day violence in 2021 Assembly Election and pre-poll, poll day as well as post-poll violence in 2024-Lok Sabha Election took place,” read the second communique.
Copies of both the communiques are available from IANS.
In fact, information about the police officials tainted by either involvement or remaining inactive during poll-related violence both in 2021 and 2024 was passed by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Gyanesh Kumar, while he announced the two-phase polling in West Bengal April 23 and April 29.
He also said that the Commission will take necessary action in the matter.
In the first phase of elections April 23, there will be polling for 152 Assembly constituencies, and in the second phase April 29, there will be polling for 142 Assembly constituencies.
The last few Assembly elections in West Bengal were held in seven to eight phases.