The Governor asked the chief secretary to ensure all files and documents of the government are secured. Soon after that, the chief secretary issued the circular and ordered the deployment of Central forces at all government offices. (WB Rajyabhawan)
West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala on Monday afternoon ordered all department secretaries not to remove or take away any “important file or paper” from the state secretariat Nabanna or other state administration offices in Kolkata.
The circular was issued around 3 pm as soon as it became clear that the BJP was coming to power with a landslide victory, ending the TMC’s 15-year-long rule in the state.
“All Departmental Secretaries and Heads of Offices are requested to ensure that no important paper or any file is removed/damaged, or otherwise taken out from the offices. No unauthorised copying/scanning shall be permitted. Further, all files/important papers/communication shall be properly accounted for,” the order read.
Warning of strict action, the order said, “The Head of Departments and Departmental Secretaries shall personally ensure that this is followed in letter and spirit. Personal responsibility shall be fixed for any instance of deviation.”
Soon after the order was circulated and emailed to all the departments, Central forces were deployed outside the state secretariat Nabanna, as well as other secretariat offices in Bikash Bhavan, Jalasampad Bhavan, New Secretariat buildings, and other important installations of the state administration.
A senior police officer told The Indian Express that the circular was issued by the chief secretary on the orders of Governor R N Ravi.
“The Governor asked the chief secretary to ensure all files and documents of the government are secured. Soon after that, the chief secretary issued the circular and ordered the deployment of Central forces at all government offices. In all government offices, security personnel are frisking all government employees who are going back home after their duties. Since nowadays all files are in digital format, there is minimum chance of files getting destroyed in government offices because all have e-filing footsteps,” the police officer said.
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A senior officer of the state administration said that the order was necessary as there is always a possibility of important files getting removed to “hide corruption”.
“A section of administrative officials and political leaders is of the opinion that the outgoing TMC government would try to vanish those files, which could prove detrimental to the TMC leaders,” the senior official said, adding that instead of Central forces, Kolkata Police should be guarding Nabanna.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
