The Election Commission (EC) continued to transfer officers of West Bengal on Wednesday (March 18, 2026). Ten District Magistrates (DM), one Municipal Commissioner, and five Deputy Inspector Generals of Police (DIG) were transferred. The newly appointed officers met the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal, Manoj Kumar Agarwal, to review the poll preparedness in the State.
A total of 39 officers have been transferred in the State since the election was announced on Sunday, including multiple top-ranking police officers. The government of West Bengal has been asked to not assign any election-related duties to any of the transferred officers.
DIGs of Raniganj Range, Murshidabad, Bardhaman, Presidency Range, and Jalpaiguri were transferred on Wednesday. Additionally, the DMs of Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, and multiple other districts were shifted.
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“The EC directions to be implemented with immediate effect and a compliance report in respect of joining of above officers be sent by 3 p.m. on March 19, 2026. Further, the officers transferred out shall not be posted in any election-related posts until the completion of elections,” the transfer order stated.
In a related development, the CEO, West Bengal, along with Special Election Observer, Police observer conducted a review meeting with the newly appointed officers, including the Director General and Inspector General of Police, Kolkata Police Commissioner, and other top officials at the CEO’s office in Kolkata.
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BJP welcomes move
Bharatiya Janta Party spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said that in the current Trinamool Congress government, the party and the government became one and the same.
“In this situation, what other option did the EC have other than removing these officers? We welcome this decision taken by the EC,” Mr. Sarkar said. He added that “gifting” a terror-free elections to the people of West Bengal was a responsibility of the EC, hence these moves were a welcome change.
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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had repeatedly criticised the EC and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar for allegedly favouring the BJP in making these transfers. Ms. Banerjee on Tuesday said the EC could “start campaigning for the BJP”.
CEO Mr. Agarwal mentioned that 2,200 to 2,500 companies of Central armed police forces (CAPF) might be deployed in the State of which 480 had already arrived and were conducting route marches in their zones.
‘Not consulted’
The Mamata Banerjee government has come down heavily on the EC for these transfers and said the State government was not consulted before the transfers were made.
The transfers started right after the elections were declared on Sunday. The first set of transfers came hours after the election announcement, and the next set of transfers were seen on all three consecutive days.
Nineteen 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 DG of Police, and Kolkata Police CP, were all removed from their positions.
The State is set to go to polls in two phases on April 23 and 29. The election results will be declared on May 4. Till now, 6.44 crore voters are part of the final voter list while 60 lakh remain under adjudication, whose names are likely to be published in supplementary lists.
Published – March 18, 2026 03:21 pm IST
