Hardly, three days after the removal of the Rajeev Kumar from the post of director general of police (DGP) on Monday the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday shook up district administrations by removing district magistrates (DMs) of four districts East Midnapore, Jhargram, East Burdwan and Birbhum in West Bengal ahead of the seven-phase Lok Sabha (LS) polls starting from 19 April.

The four DMs Bidhan Roy (East Burdwan), Tanvir Afzal (East Midnapore), Purnendu Kumar Maji (Birbhum) and Sunil Agarwala (Jhargram) belonging to West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre are not Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers.

The ECI, led by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar took the decision to remove DMs and superintendents of police (SPs) who are ‘not conferred IAS and IPS’ respectively after holding a meeting at Nirvachan Sadan in Delhi today.

“Commission transfers such DMs & SPs who are not conferred IAS and IPS respectively; transfers 8 non-cadre SPs/SSPs and 5 non-cadre DMs in four states of Gujarat, Punjab, Odisha and West Bengal,” in a letter, the ECI said.

“Taking forward its commitment for a level playing field in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today has issued transfer orders for non-cadre officers, who are posted at leadership positions as District Magistrate (DM) and Superintendent of Police (SP) …. Post of DM and SP in the district are encadred for officers from Indian Administrative and Indian Police Service respectively,” it stated.

Oppositions in West Bengal alleged that the four WBCS officers were promoted to the post of DM, an important administrative portfolio mainly belonging to IAS officers, by the Mamata Banerjee government.

“The prime aim of the state government was to utilize these DMs who are from state civil service cadre for the ruling party during elections,” the opposition alleged.

Trinamul Congress leadership slammed the national poll panel for its decision to remove the DMs of four districts in the state.

“Modi-appointed Election Commission changed West Bengal’s DGP 2 times in 24 hours. And now this! Transfers, use of Central Forces, ED, CBI, IT & every trick in the book being used. No matter what they do – the zamindars of BJP sitting in Delhi will get a befitting answer from Bengal in June,” Saket Gokhale posted on X handle soon after the ECI move.