Day after Mamata’s rebuke, EC transfers 13 district electoral officers and 5 DIGs

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had protested the EC’s ‘sweeping’ transfers of top officials in the poll-bound state, terming the move ‘a matter of deep concern’.

A day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised its “unilateral midnight transfers” of top police and administrative officers, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday transferred 13 district magistrates or district electoral officers (DEOs) and five deputy inspectors general (DIGs) of police across poll-bound West Bengal.

According to the ECI notification, the DEOs of Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, Purba Bardhaman, Kolkata North, Kolkata South, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Darjeeling, and Alipurduar were transferred.

Jitin Yadav, a 2016 batch IAS officer, was posted as DEO of Coochbehar, while Sandip Ghosh (IAS, 2016) was appointed DEO of Jalpaiguri.

Vivek Kumar (IAS, 2016), Rajanvir Singh Kapoor (IAS, 2012), and R Arjun (IAS, 2010) were posted as DEOs of Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, and Murshidabad, respectively.

In Nadia and Purba Bardhaman, Srikant Palli (IAS, 2015) and Sweta Agarwal (IAS, 2016) were appointed as DEOs.

Smita Pandey (IAS, 2005) and Randhir Kumar (IAS, 2006) were named DEOs for Kolkata North and South.

Shilpa Gourisaria (IAS, 2009), Abhishek Kumar Tiwary (IAS, 2012), Harishanker Panicker (IAS, 2013), and T Balasubramanian (IAS, 2013) were appointed DEOs of North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Darjeeling, and Alipurduar, respectively.

Of these, Smita Pandey, Randhir Kumar, and R Arjun were also designated as electoral roll observers during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

Five new DIGs were appointed for Raiganj, Murshidabad, Bardhaman, Presidency, and Jalpaiguri ranges: Rathore Amit Kumar Bharat (IPS, 2009), Ajit Singh Yadav (IPS, 2011), Srihari Pandey (IPS, 2011), Kankar Prasad Barui (IPS, 2007), and Anjali Singh (IPS, 2009).

Banerjee had protested the “sweeping” transfers, writing to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, calling the move “a matter of deep concern and surprise” and asking him to “refrain from adopting such unilateral measures in the future”.

Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting.

His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.

Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.

Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.

Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.

Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.

Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.

Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.

Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.

Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.

Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St.

Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.

Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India.

...

Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram