TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee moves Calcutta HC against EC’s large-scale official transfers, says they hit administration’s working
Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujay Paul’s bench grants Kalyan Banerjee permission to file a PIL petition against the transfers of block development officers and officers-in-charge of police stations.
On March 20, Kalyan Banerjee filed a PIL petition questioning the transfers of several IAS and IPS officers soon after the announcement of the polls. (File Photo)
With the West Bengal Assembly elections just weeks away, the ruling Trinamool Congress approached the Calcutta High Court on Monday, seeking permission to file a PIL petition against the series of official transfers carried out by the Election Commission and requesting an urgent hearing.
Senior counsel and TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee drew the attention of Chief Justice Sujay Paul’s division bench to the matter, stating that such large-scale transfers were causing problems in the administration’s working. The bench granted permission to file the petition, and the hearing is likely to take place on Tuesday.
The commission’s transfer orders for officials have led to a confrontation between the state and the Centre. On Sunday evening, it transferred the officers-in-charge and inspectors-in-charge of 173 police stations across the state, moving 184 police officials.
Earlier in the day, orders were issued to transfer 83 block development officers (BDO) across 18 districts and one assistant returning officer. Altogether, 267 officials—from officers-in-charge to BDOs—were transferred in a single day.
On March 15, the election dates were announced and the model code of conduct came into effect immediately. On the same day, the commission began transferring top officials, including the chief secretary, home secretary, director-general of police, as well as district magistrates, and superintendents of police across various districts.
The TMC believes that such large-scale transfers are politically motivated. However, during his visit to Kolkata on March 28, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said there was nothing unusual about such administrative reshuffles, adding that such actions were quite normal in an election-bound state.
On March 20, Kalyan Banerjee filed a PIL petition in the high court questioning the commission’s transfer of several IAS and IPS officers soon after the announcement of the Assembly polls in the state.
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The elections to the 294-member Assembly will be held in two phases— on April 23 and 29—and counting on May 4.
Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage.
Experience
Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness.
Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances.
Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including:
State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies.
Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues.
Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE).
Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More
