West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a protest rally in Kolkata.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Election Commission (EC) on Tuesday (March 17, 2026) continued with its spate of transfers of top police officers in West Bengal, two days after the dates of the State’s Assembly polls were announced.
Upset with the electoral body’s decisions, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the officers transferred out will return to their earlier postings once the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is lifted after the polls in May.
Nineteen senior police officers were transferred on Tuesday, including two Additional Director Generals of Police (ADGs), four Commissioners of Police, 12 Superintendents of Police of districts, and one Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Police. These transfers came a day after the State’s entire top bureaucracy comprising the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police were all removed from their positions and restricted from participating in any poll-related work.
‘All are our officers’
Ms. Banerjee also accused the EC of working under the influence of the BJP and suggested that the poll body should “start campaigning for the BJP”.
“You can do whatever you want… But all officers are our officers… You may take away all our power, but you will never be able to take away our manpower… The people will vote for us,” Ms. Banerjee said while announcing the list of candidates for the ensuing Assembly polls.
The Chief Minister also stated that in case of any disasters or law and order situation following the transfers, the people of West Bengal should blame the EC and BJP for any issues in controlling the situation.
She has also alleged that the new officials who have been appointed to the crucial posts will help the Opposition party to bring in arms, money, and drugs into West Bengal ahead of the election.
‘No cogent reasons’
Late on Monday (March 16) night, Ms. Banerjee shot off a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and said the EC had in the past always consulted the State government by asking for recommendations, a precedence which has allegedly not been followed for the upcoming election.
“Such sweeping transfers have been effected without any cogent reasons and without any allegation of violation, misconduct or lapse in relation to the conduct of elections,” Ms. Banerjee wrote to the CEC.
Major reshuffle
On Tuesday, Amit Kumar Singh was appointed as the Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore Police Commissionerate and Sunil Kumar Yadav is the new Commissioner of Chandannagar Police Commissionerate. New Commissioners of Police were also appointed for Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate and Howrah Police Commissionerate.
“The directions of the Commission to be implemented with immediate effect and a compliance report in respect of joining of the above officers be sent by 11 a.m. on 18.03.2026,” the transfer order letters from the EC stated.
Yeilwad Shrikant Jagannathrao was appointed as the new DC, Central Kolkata while Rajesh Kumar Singh was made the ADG & IGP (Inspector General of Police), South Bengal Region, and K. Jayaraman was made the ADG & IGP, North Bengal Region.
Similar letters had arrived from the EC on Sunday hours after the two-phase Assembly elections were declared in West Bengal. The EC transferred West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and appointed Dushyant Nariala, as the State’s Chief Secretary. The poll panel appointed Sanghamitra Ghosh as the State’s Home Secretary replacing Jagdish Prasad Meena.
The poll body subsequently also transferred Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Commissioner of Police Supratim Sarkar. Siddh Nath Gupta was made the new DGP of the State, and Ajay Kumar Nand is the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police.
These transfers ahead of the high-stakes Assembly polls have been criticised by the ruling Trinamool Congress and are unprecedented in the administrative history of the State. “Change everything but you will not be able to change the government in the State,” the Chief Minister had said on Monday.
Elections to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29 respectively. The results will be announced on May 4.
Published – March 17, 2026 04:13 pm IST
