ECI removes chief secretary, home secretary and top cops in poll-bound West Bengal

Kolkata: In a swift move after the model code of conduct came into effect in West Bengal, Election Commission of India carried out major bureaucratic changes and replaced top administrative and police officials in West Bengal on Monday. ECI said the changes must be implemented with immediate effect.

Dushyant Nariala has been appointed chief secretary and Sanghamitra Ghosh as new home secretary. Chief secretary Nandini Chakraborty and home secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena have been replaced. ECI said that Chakraborty and Meena will not be involved in any kind of election-related duty.

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ECI has appointed Siddh Nath Gupta as new director general and IGP of West Bengal (in-charge), replacing Peeyush Pandey. Siddh Nath Gupta (a 1992-batch IPS officer) was serving as DG-correctional home.

Similarly, Ajay Kumar Nand, a 1996-batch IPS officer, has been made the new commissioner of Kolkata Police, replacing Supratim Sarkar. Nand had served as commissioner of Barrackpore Commissionerate and played an important role in controlling Maoist movement in Jungalmahal area.

Ajay Mukud Ranade, a 1995-batch IPS officer has been posted as ADG & IGP (law & order) and has replaced DG (law & order) Vineet Kumar Goyal. Ranade has served as Howrah Police commissioner earlier.

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"Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in his media interaction had assured that elections in West Bengal would be violence-free and peaceful. In pursuance of this objective, ECI appoints/transfers senior police officials of West Bengal, including DGP of the state and CP Kolkata," ECI sources said. Political observers called these moves unprecedented.

Goyal has been posted as DG & IGP-IB West Bengal with additional charge of DGP, ACB, West Bengal. Goyal is a former Kolkata Police commissioner, who was removed from the post after his name was dragged into controversy in connection with the rape and murder of a PGT doctor of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata in August 2024. Natarajan Ramesh Babu (1991-batch IPS officer), will be posted as DG, correctional services, ECI said in a notification.