Mamata flags ‘unilateral’ transfer of top Bengal officers in letter to CEC

PTI, Kolkata,  March 17, 2026 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday night wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar expressing "deep concern and surprise" over the poll panel's orders transferring four top state officials soon after the announcement of the assembly polls.

In her letter, the chief minister said she was "constrained to write" regarding the Election Commission's directives issued on March 15 and 16 ordering the transfer and "unilateral placement" of several senior officers of the state administration, including the chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police.

"I am constrained to write with regard to the recent orders issued by the Election Commission of India dated March 15 and 16, 2026, directing the transfer and unilateral placement of several senior officers of the state administration. These directions include the replacement of the chief secretary, the secretary (Home and Hill Affairs), the director general & inspector general of police and other senior officers of the state machinery," Banerjee said in the letter.

She added, "Such sweeping transfers have been affected without any cogent reasons and without any allegation of violation, misconduct or lapse in relation to the conduct of elections."

The poll panel had on Sunday night ordered the removal of the state’s top bureaucrats -- Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena. In a subsequent order issued on Monday, the commission also replaced DGP Peeyush Pandey and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.

Immediately after the EC directive, the state government issued a notification on Monday, transferring and posting several senior IPS officers, including Pandey and Sarkar.

Referring to the constitutional provisions governing election administration, the chief minister said the commission's powers over officers engaged in election duties have historically been exercised in consultation with the state government.

"It is well recognised that, by virtue of Article 324 of the Constitution of India, read with Section 13CC of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 and Section 28A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, officers engaged in election-related duties are deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission during the election period," she wrote.

Banerjee further said that during previous elections, the commission had followed the convention of consulting the state government before effecting such transfers.

"Historically, during the previous elections, the commission, while exercising these powers, has consistently consulted the state government as a matter of constitutional propriety and administrative convention within our federal framework," she said.

"In practice, the commission would request the state government to furnish a panel of three officers, from among whom it would select an officer to fill the vacancy arising from any contested transfer," Banerjee added.

The chief minister said it was a "matter of deep concern and surprise" that the heads of the administrative machinery in the state had been removed "within hours of the press release announcing the General Election to the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, 2026".

Banerjee requested the poll panel to avoid such steps in future.

"In view of the above, I would request the Commission to kindly refrain from adopting such unilateral measures in the future, as they risk diluting the long-standing legacy, credibility and institutional integrity of the Election Commission of India and also impinges upon the foundational principles of our constitutional framework," the TMC supremo said.

The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases - on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.