EC Orders Major IPS Postings Ahead Of West Bengal Polls

The directions of the Commission are to be implemented with immediate effect. It has also been stated that the officers who have been transferred shall not be posted in any election-related posts till the completion of elections.

Rajesh Kumar Singh (IPS, 1997) has been posted as Additional Director General (ADG) and Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the South Bengal region, while K. Jayaraman (IPS, 1997) has taken over as ADG and IGP, North Bengal region. Pranav Kumar (IPS, 2003) has been posted as the Commissioner of Police, Asansol-Durgapur. Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi (IPS, 2005) has been posted as the Commissioner of Police, Howrah. Amit Kumar Singh (IPS, 2009) is the Commissioner of Police, Barrackpore, while Sunil Kumar Yadav (IPS, 2009) is the Commissioner of Police, Chandannagar.

The move follows the EC announcing the schedule of the Assembly elections for four states, including West Bengal, and a Union Territory. West Bengal goes to the polls in two phases on April 23 and 29, with counting on May 4.

Administrative reshuffles, particularly in the police and district administration, are a routine measure by the EC to ensure neutrality and maintain law and order during elections.

The Commission has also directed key transfers and postings of the Superintendent of Police (SP) in the West Bengal police cadre. Among them is the posting of Pushpa (IPS, 2012) as the SP, Barasat. Jaspreet Singh (IPS, 2016) has been posted as SP, Coochbehar, while Surya Pradap Yadav (IPS, 2011) is the SP, Birbhum.