Kolkata, March 29 The Election Commission on Sunday transferred 83 block development officers and assistant returning officers across 18 districts of West Bengal, officials said.
The large-scale reshuffle covers blocks ranging from Dinhata-II in Cooch Behar to Diamond Harbour-I and II in South 24 Parganas district, along with Ramnagar, Nandigram-I and II, Nanoor, Labhpur, Suri-I, Mohammad Bazar, Ilambazar and Mayureswar-I, among others, they said.
Districts affected by the transfers include Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, North and South Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, North and South 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly, East and West Midnapore, Purulia, Bankura, East and West Burdwan, and Birbhum, officials added.
The directive was issued by the commission from its New Delhi office, a senior poll official said.
"The transfers have been carried out to ensure administrative neutrality and maintain a level playing field ahead of the elections. Such measures are part of standard protocol to prevent any local influence on the electoral process," he added.
The move comes amid continuing friction between the state government and the Centre over the transfer of officials ahead of elections. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has on multiple occasions alleged that such reshuffles are politically motivated.