ECI rejigs ADG (Law & Order) after poll date announcement
Kolkata: The day after announcement of election schedule the commission on Saturday changed the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police (Law and Order).
Jawed Shamim, who was appointed as the ADG (Law and Order) only on February 5, has been replaced with IPS officer of 1991 batch Jag Mohan.
Shamim, an IPS officer of 1995 batch, has been transferred to the post of Director General (DG) of the Fire Services in the rank of ADG. Jag Mohan was earlier posted as DG Fire Services. Shamim has also been given the additional charge of DG Civil Defence.
"I do not know if the Election Commission is doing this in whose provocation or advice. Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee had said after the election schedule for Bengal was announced. She added that it (the dates) seem to have been prepared from the BJP's party office. "Today again BJP gave a deputation against the police. Subsequently, the transfer order was issued. They have the right, but the Election Commission must also establish its neutrality. We are very surprised at this sudden action," said TMC MP Saugata Roy.
On Saturday morning a BJP delegation led by Swapan Dasgupta submitted a deputation to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Bengal against some police officers.
Meanwhile, Vivek Dubey, one of the Police Observers deputed by the Election Commission of India for the Bengal elections will be reaching the state on Sunday evening. Dubey will hold meetings with state CEO Ariz Aftab and senior officials of the police administration like ADG (Law and Order), SPs of the districts, CP of Kolkata Police and other Commissionerates.
Sources in the Commission remained tight lipped about the itinerary of Dubey who was the special observer for Bengal during the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. TMC had won 22 seats against BJP's 18 in the Lok Sabha polls. Soon after the name of Dubey was announced as the police observer in the state on Friday by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee had said: "We all know what he did. We all know the game and the drama. The central government cannot abuse its power in a state election."
Apart from Dubey, Mrinal Kanti Das has also been deputed as the police observer for Bengal. Three companies of central forces are also likely to reach Kolkata and start a route march in the city on Sunday. According to Commission sources 105 companies of central forces have already reached the state and most of them have started route march in different parts of the state.
