Bengal Postings: Police transfers within the same LS constituency may not be valid

In a recent development, the West Bengal government’s transfers of police officers ahead of the Lok Sabha elections may not be valid if they are made within the same Parliamentary constituency or in the adjacent district. The Chief Electoral Officer has communicated the transfer rules set by the ECI to the state government.

Several transfers have been made in the police department, but the poll panel has highlighted that the new postings are either within the same Lok Sabha constituency or in the adjacent district. The CEO’s office has advised the state administration to rectify these transfers if needed.

A senior bureaucrat stated that the usual practice before elections is to transfer government servants, especially police officers, who have completed three years in a particular posting. However, this time transfers within the same Lok Sabha constituency or to adjacent districts are prohibited to prevent any influence on the polling process.

The Election Commission of India’s team is set to visit West Bengal in early March to assess the poll preparations. They will meet with top bureaucrats and police officers during their visit. This development comes amidst the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in the state.