Mamata Protests ECI's Midnight Reshuffle of IAS, IPS Officers, Before Polls

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has sharply criticized the Election Commission of India (ECI) for what she described as arbitrary and unilateral overnight transfers of numerous senior IAS and IPS officers in the state ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The controversy erupted shortly after the ECI announced the poll schedule for the 294-member West Bengal Legislative Assembly, with voting set for two phases on April 23 and April 29, 2026, and results on May 4.

In a series of rapid reshuffles beginning immediately after the announcement, the Commission transferred key figures, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty (the state's first woman in the post), Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey, Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar, and several Additional Director Generals, Inspectors General, and district-level officers. Subsequent rounds saw over 50 senior officials affected in total, including 13 district magistrates (serving as District Electoral Officers) and multiple DIGs, as part of efforts to ensure neutrality and effective poll management.

Banerjee, in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and public statements on social media platforms like X, expressed "deep concern and surprise" over the moves, terming them "sweeping," "unilateral," and conducted "in the dead of night" without consulting the state government or providing cogent reasons such as misconduct related to elections. She accused the ECI of political interference of the "highest order," alleging bias favoring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and describing the actions as "anti-women," "anti-Bengal," and an attempt to cripple the state's administrative machinery through selective targeting. The Chief Minister further claimed the transfers amounted to an "undeclared emergency" and questioned the timing, especially near festivals like Eid, while warning of potential unrest.

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The ECI has maintained that these transfers, including barring affected officers from election-related duties, are standard measures to promote impartiality and transparency during the electoral process, a practice with precedents in previous polls. The reshuffles extended across multiple poll-bound states but were most extensive in West Bengal, amid ongoing preparations such as deploying Central armed police forces and observers. Opposition parties, including the BJP, have countered by suggesting the changes dismantle alleged "syndicates" or misuse of power under the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration.

This escalating row highlights tensions between the state government and the poll watchdog as West Bengal gears up for a high-stakes contest, where Banerjee's TMC seeks a fourth consecutive term against a resurgent BJP opposition. Banerjee has vowed continued protests and emphasized that such institutional maneuvers cannot alter the deep connection between her party and the people. The situation remains fluid, with further ECI directives possible as the model code of conduct is in force and election preparations intensify.

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