Election Commission Transfers Six More Senior Police Officers in West Bengal Ahead of Assembly Polls

New Delhi: A day after transferring four top police officials, the Election Commission of India ordered another round of reshuffle in West Bengal, announcing fresh postings of senior police officials ahead of the Assembly elections.

As per the latest orders:

1. Dr Rajesh Kumar Singh (IPS 1991) has been posted as ADG & IGP, South Bengal Region
2. K Jayaraman (IPS 1991) as ADG & IGP, North Bengal Region
3. Dr Pranav Kumar (IPS 2003) as Commissioner of Police, Asansol-Durgapur
4. Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi (IPS 2005) as Commissioner of Police, Howrah
5. Amit Kumar Singh (IPS 2009) as Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore
6. Sunil Kumar Yadav (IPS 2009) as Commissioner of Police, Chandannagar

Further, it has directed that the changes be implemented immediately, with a compliance report to be submitted by 11 AM on March 18, 2026. It also stated that officers transferred out will not be assigned election-related duties until the completion of polls.

Following the transfer orders, the Chief Election Commissioner of India reaffirmed that the EC will leave no stone unturned for holding transparent, fear-free, violence-free and inducement-free elections.

Reshuffle included DGP, Kolkata Police Commissioner

The latest round of transfers comes just a day after the ECI ordered the transfer of four top police officials, including the Director General of Police (DGP), DG Correctional Services, ADG Law and Order, and Kolkata Police Commissioner.

The Commission appointed:

1. Siddh Nath Gupta (IPS 1992) as the new DGP of West Bengal, replacing Peeyush Pandey
2. Ajay Kumar Nand (IPS 1996) as Kolkata Police Commissioner
3. N Ramesh Babu (IPS 1991) as DG, Correctional Services
4. Ajay Mukund Ranade (IPS 1995) as ADG, Law and Order

Mamata Banerjee Raises Objection

Earlier in the day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, expressing concern over what she termed the “unilateral placement” of senior officers by the poll body through recent orders dated March 15 and 16.

Meanwhile, following the Election Commission's announcement of the 2026 assembly election schedule for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued directions for the strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct for the general elections and bye-elections in six states.

According to the schedule, polling in West Bengal will be conducted in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Kerala and Assam will vote in a single phase on April 9, while Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23. Voting in Puducherry will also take place on April 9. The counting of votes for all four states and Puducherry will be held on May 4, the ECI announced.

ALSO READ: ‘Dawaats, Shelter, Supplies': J&K Police Plans Major Crackdown on JeM Ground Network Support in Kishtwar