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‘Failure to maintain neutrality’: ECI suspends 5 police officers in Bengal’s Diamond Harbour
Diamond Harbour Additional SP Sandip Garai is among those suspended.
People wait in queues during voting in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections, at a polling station in Murshidabad, Thursday. (PTI)
The Election Commission of India (ECI) suspended five high-ranking police officers in the Diamond Harbour Police District on Friday for “serious misconduct” and “failure to maintain neutrality” during the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections.
The five suspended police officers are Sandip Garai (IPS), Additional SP, Diamond Harbour; Sajal Mondal, SDPO, Diamond Harbour; Mausam Chakraborty, Inspector in Charge, Diamond Harbour Police Station; Ajay Bag, Inspector in Charge, Falta Police Station; and Subhechha Bag, Officer in Charge, Usthi Police Station.
A separate report regarding Garai’s conduct is to be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
In addition to the suspensions, the ECI issued a formal warning to Dr Ishani Pal, the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Diamond Harbour, over her alleged failure to ensure discipline and fairness among her subordinates during the election period.
This is not the first time that the poll body has suspended high-ranking police officers in West Bengal during this polling season. Just a couple of days ago, Sandip Sarkar (Officer in Charge, Hingalganj Police Station) was suspended following a report from the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal. The ECI cited an alleged nexus between the officer-in-charge and “local elements”, resulting in bias in his official duties.
Three Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were suspended for violations of the Model Code of Conduct in North 24 Parganas on April 17. Similarly, two BLOs were suspended on grounds of political involvement in Birbhum.
Several top-tier police and administrative officers were reshuffled in late March and early April to ensure “level playing field” conditions in sensitive districts like Murshidabad and South 24 Parganas.
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As per a source in the CEO’s office, most of these suspensions follow specific complaints from political parties regarding the failure of the local police to act on reports of ‘goon’ activity during door-to-door campaigning.
Bengal reported over 90 per cent voter turnout in 152 seats in the first phase. The second phase of polling in the remaining 142 seats is scheduled to be held on April 29.
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