EC set to move Howrah SP as wife gears up to contest elections

KOLKATA: The Election Commission has started the process of removing Soumya Roy from his post as Superintendent of Police Howrah (Rural).

The move comes with the IPS officer's wife Lovely Maitra contesting the Assembly elections as Trinamool Congress candidate from Sonarpur Dakshin seat in South 24-Parganas district. Sources in the EC said he would be transferred to a post that has nothing to do with the election.

Meanwhile, the Commission will deploy central forces in all 10288 booths in the 30 Assembly Constituencies in the state that will go to polls in the 1st phase.

"As per rules of the Commission, a person cannot be involved in election duty if his/ her family member is contesting the elections. Hence, we have initiated the process of removal of Roy," an EC official said. Roy's wife Lovely Maitra is an actor.

According to sources, special observer Ajay Nayak and Special Police Observer Vivek Dubey on Monday held a meeting with state CEO (Chief Electoral Officer) Ariz Aftab and ADG (Law & Order) Jagmohan regarding deployment of central forces for ensuring free and fair elections.

"We consider every single booth as sensitive. So, all the booths will witness the presence of central forces," an official in the CEO office said.

The Commission by March 14 is expected to deploy 495 companies of Central Forces in the state. Purulia, Jhargram and parts of Bankura, East Midnapore and West Midnapore will go to polls in the first phase. Special Expenditure Observer for

Bengal B.

Murali Kumar who reached the state on Monday morning held a meeting with various enforcement agencies at the state CEO office in

the evening.