Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the transfers of 149 police officers of the ranks of Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors. The poll body has reiterated that these police officers should not be assigned any poll-related duty in West Bengal.
Among the 149 cops transferred and removed from poll-related duties, 81 are Inspector-rank officers, and the remaining 68 are Sub-Inspector rank officers.
It is learnt that the district police superintendents concerned will implement the order of the Commission.
The Inspectors who have been removed from polling work include two from Cooch Behar, four from Raiganj Police District, four from Islampur Police District, one from Alipurduar, three from South Dinajpur, two from Siliguri, three from Diamond Harbour Police District, two from Baruipur Police District, three from Barasat Police District, one from Basirhat Police District, one from Bangaon Police District, four from Barrackpore, six from Bidhannagar, four from Krishnanagar Police District, four from Ranaghat Police District, one from Asansol Durgapur, three from West Midnapore, five from East Midnapore, two from Purulia, two from Birbhum, one from Jalpaiguri, three from Malda, and one from Bankura.
The two-phase Assembly polls in West Bengal are scheduled on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, there will be polling for 152 Assembly constituencies, and in the second phase, for the remaining 142 constituencies. The results will be declared on May 4.