Neelam Meena becomes new CEO of West Bengal
The 1998-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre is replacing Manoj Kumar Agarwal, who was earlier appointed as the state's new Chief Secretary.
With the West Bengal Assembly elections drawing closer, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday ordered the transfer of five senior IPS officers holding the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) rank across different police ranges in the state.
Over the past few days, the ECI has carried out a series of top-level reshuffles in both the police and civil administration in West Bengal.
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According to an official notification, Amit Kumar Bharat Rathod has been posted as the new DIG of Raiganj Range, replacing Santosh Uttamrao Nimbalkar. Ajeet Singh Yadav will now head the Murshidabad Range, considered a sensitive zone, taking over from Sudheer Kumar Neelakantam.
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In other changes, Srihari Pandey has been assigned to the Burdwan Range in place of Alok Rajoria, while Kankar Prasad Barui takes charge of the Presidency Range, replacing Bhaskar Mukherjee. Anjali Singh will head the Jalpaiguri Range, succeeding Dr Bholanath Pandey.
Series of transfers ahead of two-phase Bengal elections
The latest round of transfers comes just a day after the Commission shifted 19 senior police officers in the state. Those moved included two Additional Directors General, four Police Commissioners, 12 district Superintendents of Police, and a Deputy Commissioner from Kolkata Police.
On Monday, the ECI had also removed key figures at the top of the police hierarchy. Acting Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey was replaced by Siddh Nath Gupta. Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar was succeeded by Ajay Kumar Nand, while Ajay Mukund Ranade took over as Director General (Law & Order) from Vineet Goyal.
The reshuffle extended beyond the police force as well. Shortly after the election schedule was announced on Sunday, Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena were removed. Dushyant Nariala and Shanghamitra Ghosh were appointed in their place.
West Bengal will go to the polls in two phases on April 23 and April 29. Voting will be held across 152 Assembly constituencies in the first phase and 142 in the second.
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