On instructions of ECI, Bengal govt appoints Vivek Sahay as new DGP of state: Official More details awaited.

Sahay, a 1988-batch IPS officer, was the Director General and Commandant General (Home Guards).

Vivek Sahay.: File picture.

PTI, Calcutta, 18.03.24 :Following the instruction of the Election Commission of India (ECI), the West Bengal government on Monday appointed Vivek Sahay as the new DGP of the state, according to sources.

The appointment was made within hours after the poll pane
l removed Rajeev Kumar as the director general of police (DGP).

Sahay, a 1988-batch IPS officer, was the Director General and Commandant General (Home Guards).

Kumar, who was appointed as the state DGP last December, was moved to the Information and Technology department, a "non-election" related assignment, and, as an interim arrangement, the sources said.

The decision to shift Kumar was taken as the officer was removed earlier too from active election management-related duty during the 2016 assembly election in the state and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, poll panel sources pointed out.

Two officers are senior to Kumar -- Vivek Sahai and Zulfiquar Hasan, both 1988 batch officers. Sahai was director-general of police (Home Guards) while Hasan was on central deputation to the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

Kumar, who was appointed as the state DGP last December, was moved to the Information and Technology department, a "non-election" related assignment, and, as an interim arrangement, the sources said. 

The decision to shift Kumar was taken as the officer was removed earlier too from active election management-related duty during the 2016 assembly election in the state and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, poll panel sources pointed out.