Mamata Banerjee criticises Election Commission over transfer of state officials

Alleges political interference and raises concerns over electoral process

PTI, March 19, 2026, Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed alarm over the "arbitrary removal of more than 50 senior officials" in the poll-bound state, terming it a "political interference of the highest order".

Continuing with her tirade against the Election Commission, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo claimed that such action amounted to "systematic politicisation of institutions" and a "direct assault on the Constitution".

After announcing the schedule for the Assembly polls, the Election Commission has ordered several reshuffles of senior officers, including the transfer of Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, and the removal of DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.

On Wednesday, the poll body ordered a fresh reshuffle of senior officers, posting two secretaries to other poll-bound states as observers, and deploying 13 IAS and five IPS officers in key poll management roles.

Slamming the poll body, Mamata took to X to claim that more than 50 senior officials had been "summarily and arbitrarily removed" even before the formal notification of elections.

"The manner in which the Election Commission has singled out and targeted Bengal is not just unprecedented -- it is deeply alarming.

Even before the formal notification of elections, more than 50 senior officials... have been summarily and arbitrarily removed. This is not administrative action; this is political interference of the highest order," she said.

The Chief Minister alleged that senior officers from agencies such as IB, STF and CID were being "selectively removed" from the state.

She further alleged "contradictions" in the poll panel's actions, claiming that officers removed from their posts were being assigned as election observers.

"This is not governance. It reflects chaos, confusion, and sheer incompetence being passed off as authority," she said.

Describing the situation as "nothing short of an undeclared emergency", Mamata alleged that there was a "deliberate design to seize control of West Bengal through coercion and institutional manipulation".

"I stand in complete solidarity with every officer of the Government of West Bengal and their families... Bengal has never bowed to intimidation, and it never will," she added.

Along with the post, the Chief Minister also attached images of the Election Commission's notifications, ordering the removal and transfer of top state officials to substantiate her claims.

The TMC supremo described the special intensive revision of electoral rolls as "deeply flawed" and went on to say that at a time when the process is underway and "over 200 lives have already been lost, the conduct of the commission reflects a clear bias and an uncomfortable submission to political interests".

Mamata also claimed that supplementary electoral rolls were yet to be published "in clear disregard of the Supreme Court's directions".

Questioning the intent of the ruling BJP at the Centre, she said: "Why is the BJP so desperate? Why this relentless targeting of Bengal and its people? What satisfaction do they derive from forcing citizens, even after 78 years of Independence, to stand in queues and prove their own citizenship?"