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The Election Commission of India’s (ECI) move to transportation West Bengal’s Chief Secretary and DGP soon aft the announcement of Assembly canvass dates triggered a governmental slugfest connected Monday (March 16, 2026).
While the absorption parties accused the canvass sheet of acting astatine the behest of the BJP astatine the Centre, the saffron enactment deed back, alleging that the absorption was attempting to malign law institutions.
Speaking to reporters wrong the Parliament House complex, Samajwadi Party main Akhilesh Yadav alleged that officers are routinely removed successful States wherever the BJP is not successful power.
“Whenever elections are held, and if the State Government is not tally by the enactment ruling successful Delhi, the archetypal happening they bash is region the DGP and the main secretary. BJP leaders indispensable person deliberately got these officers removed by coordinating with the Central Government and the Election Commission,” helium alleged.
Referring to Uttar Pradesh, wherever the BJP is successful power, Mr. Yadav questioned wherefore akin enactment had not been taken determination during elections.
“In Uttar Pradesh, the DGP was ne'er removed during elections. Despite respective complaints to the Election Commission, nary enactment was taken. Even officers whose household members were contesting elections were not removed,” Mr. Yadav said, alleging that the canvass assemblage was acting astatine the BJP’s behest.
The ECI connected Sunday (March 15) announced that Assembly elections to the 294 seats successful West Bengal volition beryllium held successful 2 phases – April 23 and April 29 – with the counting scheduled connected May 4.
Leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress besides criticised the canvass panel’s move, with enactment MP Sougata Roy terming it “wrong” and “a measurement against West Bengal”.
Another Trinamool MP, Kirti Azad, alleged that the canvass assemblage functions arsenic an “extended limb of the BJP”.
Trinamool Rajya Sabha subordinate Sagarika Ghose claimed the transfers successful the aboriginal hours showed that the ECI was misusing its powers to harm the elected authorities successful West Bengal.
“The mode successful which the Election Commission astatine 4 a.m. transferred the Bengal location caput and main caput shows it is misusing its powers to harm the elected authorities successful Bengal. We person raised this substance successful the House and staged a walkout of Parliament for the full day,” she said.
Ms. Ghose besides alleged that astir 50 lakh radical successful the State were connected the “adjudication list” and could beryllium denied voting rights.
“The Election Commission is acting successful a blatantly partisan manner. This volition not work, and the radical of Bengal volition springiness a befitting reply,” she said.
Hitting backmost astatine the opposition, Union Minister Giriraj Singh said law institutions are the top spot of India’s ideology and accused the absorption parties of trying to weaken them.
He besides lashed retired astatine the Trinamool, saying, “The TMC has nary aboriginal successful West Bengal. They whitethorn outcry arsenic overmuch arsenic they want, but radical volition not let Bengal to go Bangladesh.” Former Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur besides criticised the absorption parties, peculiarly the Congress, for allegedly tarnishing India’s estimation and undermining antiauthoritarian institutions.
“It is not the archetypal clip that officials person been transferred during elections. The Election Commission has ever changed officers whenever it deemed necessary,” helium said.
Accusing the absorption of focusing connected disruption alternatively than constructive information successful Parliament, Thakur claimed that its leaders often question law bodies, including the judiciary and the ECI.
“The opposition’s occupation has present go to make confrontation and obstruction successful Parliament. Rahul Gandhi tries to motorboat a caller propaganda communicative each day,” helium alleged.
Barely hours aft the announcement of the Bengal Assembly canvass schedule, the ECI removed 2 apical bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, of the Mamata Banerjee administration.
The committee appointed Dushyant Nariala, a 1993-batch IAS officer, arsenic the Chief Secretary, and said Ms. Chakravorty would beryllium kept retired of poll-related assignments.
The canvass sheet besides removed the location caput and the DGP.
