Mamata brings back officers transferred by EC

The West Bengal government on Wednesday reinstated a host of police and administrative officers earlier transferred out by the Election Commission during the assembly polls. Four police officers were put on compulsory waiting.

The state government shuffled 16 IPS officers, including six superintendents of police (SP) transferred by the Election Commission.

Fourteen IAS officers, including P.B. Salim, who was shifted out from the post of South 24 Parganas district magistrate (DM) earlier, were part of the shuffle.

The transfers come days after the Trinamool swept back to power with a massive mandate.

Trinamool supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had, during the poll campaign, repeatedly hit out at the EC for transferring out the officers and declared she will bring them back once the polls were over.

The SPs back to their earlier districts are Kunal Agarwal in Burdwan, Prasun Banerjee in Malda, Arnab Ghosh in South Dinajpur, Mukesh in Birbhum, Bharati Ghosh in West Midnapore and Tanmay Ray Chaudhuri in North 24 Parganas.

Four IPS officers, including R.M. Khan who was posted as South Dinajpur SP by the EC, have been put on compulsory waiting.

Among the shifted IAS officers are Antara Ancharya, transferred to North 24 Parganas from East Midnapore, and Additional Chief Electoral Officer Dibyendu Sarkar, who has now been made the commissioner of panchayats and rural development department.

The transfers come days after Rajeev Kumar's reinstatement as the Kolkata police commissioner. Kumar was shifted out by the EC during the assembly polls.

--IANS

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