Election Commission transfers 3 key Bengal polling officials

KOLKATA: The Election Commission has transferred Bengal’s additional chief electoral officer Saibal Barman, joint chief electoral officer Anamika Majumdar and deputy chief electoral officer Amitjyoti Bhattacharji. There are indications that more transfers may be on the cards.
Sources in the office of the state chief electoral officer (CEO) said the three were “very experienced” in handling elections.Barman was in charge of model code of conduct and law and order. He had held office for nearly 11 years. Majumdar looked after EVMs and poll worker training while Bhattacharji handled the media cell.
“All the three officers were very experienced and transferring them just before the election will have an impact on its effective handling. It will be difficult for any new person to effectively execute the responsibilities,” a senior official at the CEO’s office said.
The Bengal BJP had been demanding no involvement of state government employees in the polling process, raising concerns of partisan attitude. A BJP delegation had even met the CEO and demanded that the entire process be conducted by only central government employees.
The state government is evidently not happy with the development. Sources said all three officers would be “rehabilitated” after the polls.