Mamata Banerjee confronts Election Commission over IPS/IAS transfer

KOLKATA: In her characteristic style, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee turned her recent confrontation with the Election Commission.

Banerjee, while addressing an election rally in Raiganj in north Bengal said that the Election Commission cannot collect votes and deliver it to the CPM houses. Intensifying the attack, she said that transferred officers are also state cadres and her people.

She was referring to the Election commission’s decision of transferring four IPS officers, an IAS officer and 24 ICs from 24 police station areas.

The commission came down heavily on the senior police and administration officials by transferring the SPs of four districts including Burdwan, South Dinajpur, Malda and Nadia and DM of north 24 Paragana district.

To add to the embarrassment to the West Bengal government, EC assigned five chief electoral officers of five states as the monitors of election in the state. ECI’s decision irked the Bengal Chief Minister and it prompted her to launch an attack against the commission yet again.

"Commission will not collect votes for CPM. So, CPM men, you have no reason to think that Commission will deliver votes at your home. Moreover, how many officials would be transferred by the Commission? The new joinees are also state cadres and they are my people too," said the Chief Minister in the rally .