Bengal polls: ECI replaces five police observers ahead of Assembly elections

Kolkata, March 28 (IANS) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday replaced as many as five police observers from other states who had been appointed for the forthcoming two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal next month.

Of the five observers removed, one is Jayant Kant, a Bihar-cadre Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who had been assigned to four Assembly constituencies in the minority-dominated Malda district.

He was replaced following a written submission from the Trinamool Congress, which alleged that he is the husband of a Bihar-based Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. “After reviewing the Trinamool Congress’s written submission in the matter, the Election Commission of India (ECI) decided to replace him,” said an insider from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal.

Another Bihar-cadre IPS officer, Hriday Kant, has been appointed as the new observer for the four Assembly constituencies in Malda district.

The other police observers who have been replaced were in charge of constituencies in Murshidabad, West Burdwan, and West Midnapore districts.

Ahead of elections, the Commission appoints three types of observers based on the requirements of each Assembly constituency.

This time, one general observer has been appointed for each of the 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal. In addition to the 294 general observers, there are police observers and expenditure observers as well.

In West Bengal, 84 police observers have been appointed for the Assembly elections -- the highest among the five poll-bound states and Union Territories. Voting will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29 across 294 constituencies in the state.

In the first phase, polling will be held in 152 constituencies, while the remaining 142 constituencies will go to the polls in the second phase. The results will be declared on May 4.

A major political tussle has already broken out in West Bengal over the ECI’s decision to undertake large-scale transfers, replacements, and deputations of bureaucrats and police officers from the state to other regions ahead of the elections.

The ruling Trinamool Congress has accused the Commission of acting on behalf of the BJP. On the other hand, the BJP has maintained that such transfers, replacements, and deputations are necessary to ensure free, fair, and violence-free polling in the state.

--IANS

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