Kolkata: In a major administrative move ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has transferred 60 senior IAS and IPS officers across the state, including key postings in Kolkata North and South. The reshuffle comes within three days of announcing poll dates on March 15, signaling one of the most extensive officer mobilizations in recent times.
Unprecedented Transfers Ahead of Polls
The Election Commission issued orders transferring 13 IAS officers serving as District Election Officers (DEOs) and 20 IPS officers. Notably, the DEOs of Kolkata North and Kolkata South constituencies were among those reshuffled. Officials termed this scale of transfers “unprecedented,” given that prior exercises in the lead-up to elections involved routine but far fewer changes.
Key Officer Postings
Among the IAS officers appointed as District Magistrates-cum-DEOs are:
- Jitin Yadav – Cooch Behar
- Sandeep Ghosh – Jalpaiguri
- Vivek Kumar – Uttar Dinajpur
- R Arjun – Murshidabad
For Kolkata, Smita Pandey has been named Municipal Commissioner of Kolkata Municipal Corporation and DEO, Kolkata North, while Randhir Kumar will serve as DEO, Kolkata South.
The IPS postings as Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) cover: Raiganj, Murshidabad, Bardhaman, Presidency, and Jalpaiguri ranges. Additionally, two IPS officers, Murlidhar Sharma (Bidhannagar City Police Commissioner) and Waquar Raza (Siliguri Commissionerate Chief), were appointed as poll observers for Tamil Nadu.
Officers Deployed to Other States
Five IAS officers have been sent to other states as election observers:
- JP Meena (former Home Secretary)
- Antara Acharya
- Parwez Ahmed Siddiqui
- P Mohan Gandhi
- Priyanka Singla
Seventeen officers from the current reshuffle were designated to oversee polls in states outside Bengal.
Political Reactions
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed concerns over the transfers, writing to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, questioning why the convention of seeking a panel of three names from the state government for each post was bypassed.
ECI’s Poll Preparedness and Large-Scale Deployment
The reshuffle is part of a broader deployment strategy by the ECI, which has mobilized over 25 lakh election officialsfor upcoming elections in Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, alongside bye-elections in six other states. Key details include:
- Nearly 15 lakh polling personnel
- 8.5 lakh security staff
- 40,000 counting personnel
- 49,000 micro observers
- 21,000 sector officers
- 2.18 lakh Booth Level Officers accessible via phone and the ECINet app’s ‘Book-a-call’ feature
The Commission stated that this extensive mobilization aims to conduct polls free from violence and inducement across 832 Assembly constituencies.
Central Observers and Monitoring
Additionally, 1,111 central observers have been deployed:
- 557 general observers
- 188 police observers
- 366 expenditure monitors
These officers will monitor polling, report grievances, meet candidates and parties, and ensure transparency throughout the election process.
Immediate Compliance and Role of Officers
The Election Commission directed immediate compliance, with joining reports required by March 19, 2026. A senior ECI official emphasized –
“These officers will play a crucial role in ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections. Many will also function as observers to monitor poll preparedness at the district level.”
This follows earlier high-profile transfers of West Bengal’s Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, DGP Peeyush Pandey, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar.
Poll Schedule
The 294-member West Bengal Assembly will vote in two phases –
- Phase 1: April 23, 2026
- Phase 2: April 29, 2026
- Counting of votes: May 4, 2026
The reshuffle and massive deployment underline the ECI’s commitment to a robust administrative and security framework ahead of one of India’s most closely watched state elections.
