Kolkata, April 6 – The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rejected the request from former Kolkata Police Commissioner and the current Additional Director General (ADG) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal, Supratim Sarkar, for relief from being sent as a central observer to Tamil Nadu, which is heading for elections.
The Commission has also directed Sarkar to act as a police observer for five Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu, namely Tirunelveli, Ambasamudram, Palayamkottai, Nanguneri, and Radhapuram, all located in the Tirunelveli district. This information was revealed by a Commission insider.
Earlier, on April 4, the Commission had announced its decision to send Sarkar on deputation as a police observer in Tamil Nadu. However, Sarkar immediately appealed to the Commission for relief from this deputation due to medical reasons.
Now, with the Commission rejecting his appeal, Sarkar has no other option but to report to Tamil Nadu by Monday.
Just a few days before the announcement of polling dates for West Bengal, Sarkar was appointed as the Kolkata Police Commissioner by the Mamata government, replacing his predecessor, Manoj Kumar Verma.
However, the Commission removed him from that position after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect, and also barred him from any election-related duties in West Bengal. Ajay Nana replaced Sarkar as per the ECI's directive.
Even after this, there were persistent demands from the opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party, to send Sarkar out of the state during the polling period.
The BJP argued that unless Sarkar was removed from the state during the polling period in West Bengal, police officers like him would continue to attempt to influence the polling process on behalf of the ruling Trinamool Congress, while sitting in their respective positions within the state's police administration.
The two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal will be held on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, voting will be held in 152 Assembly constituencies, and in the second phase, the remaining 142 seats will go to the polls. The results will be announced on May 4.