The Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and his counterpart in the Bidhannagar Commissionerate Gyanwant Singh.
The EC order, which came in the form of a missive to stateChief Secretary Malay De, said Rajesh Kumar would take over as the new KolkataPolice Commissioner.
N. Ramesh Babu would replace Gyanwant Singh.
The EC also removed two Superintendents of Police — ShyamSingh of Birbhum and P.S. Selvamurugan of Diamond Harbour police district.
Avanyu Rabindranath would be the new Birbhum policesuperintendent while Srihari Pande takes over as the Diamond Harbour policesuperintendent.
The EC has directed that the orders be implemented withimmediate effect and a compliance report be sent within 24 hours.
“The present incumbent officers being shifted not to beinvolved by the state government in any election-related duties,” theletter said.
This is first time that the EC has cracked down on any IPSofficer in West Bengal since the announcement of polls last month.
The state opposition parties have been regularly complainingabout “the partisan” role of a section of the IPS and administrativeofficers in the state.