EC removes district head, police superintendent in Bengal

The Election Commission on Friday removed the district magistrate of South 24 Parganas and superintendent of police in North 24 Parganas, as also 13 other police officers in West Bengal where six-phase assembly polls are underway, an official said.

"P.B. Salim, DM (district magistrate) of South 24 Parganas, would be replaced by A. Singh and in North 24 Parganas, Annappa E. will replace T. Roy Chowdhury as SP (superintendent of police. They will take over with immediate effect," an official said.

The removal follows complaints by opposition parties.

An officer-in-charge and another inspector-in-charge of police were removed in South 24 Parganas, five inspectors-in-charge and two officers-in-charge of police in North 24 Parganas, two officers-in-charge in Cooch Behar and one each in Howrah and Hooghly.

North 24 Parganas and Howrah will go to the hustings in the fourth phase on April 25, while polls will be held in the South 24 Parganas and Hooghly on April 30 in the fifth phase. Cooch Behar will vote in the sixth and final phase on May 5.

--IANS

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