Post Mamata's letter, ECI justifies transfer of 4 senior cops in West Bengal

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday justified the transfer of four senior cops in the state, stating that the poll panel had already appointed a special observer to ensure free and fair Lok Sabha polls.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday wrote to the ECI condemning the transfer of four senior police officers.

The Central Police Observer (CPO) Vivek Dubey on Friday night had removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma, Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Gyanwant Singh, Birbhum Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh, and Diamond Harbour Police Superintendent S Selvamurugan.

In the letter addressed to Chief Minister Banerjee, Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC) Chandra Bhushan Kumar states: “After the review of preparedness by the Election Commission in Kolkata, Special Police Observer was appointed for West Bengal.”

“On feedback from the Deputy Election Commission, West Bengal, and Special Police Observer, the action was taken to transfer four police officers,” writes Kumar, terming Chief Minister Banerjee’s allegations as “factually incorrect innuendoes.”     

“The Commission spent two days in West Bengal to assess the in-depth review of the preparedness and fairness of the electoral process. The review meetings of the Commission invariably start with an interaction with the political parties and other officials,” Bhushan writes.

“DEC in charge of West Bengal also reviewed the situation sometime in the mid-March in Kolkata. After this, the Special Police Observer was appointed for West Bengal as well as for Jharkhand, Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, and Telangana.”

“It is based on the cumulative feedback from the DEC who oversees electoral process in West Bengal and Special Police Observer that action was taken for transferring four police officers. It is understood that the government of West Bengal has already operationalised the decision of ECI in respect of transfers,” Kumar further states in the letter.

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Sunday said a section of people wanted to "finish him off politically" by defeating his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy in the Mandya Lok Sabha constituency.

Reflecting the widening cracks in the ruling coalition, Kumaraswamy said he was relying "only on the JD(S) MLAs, MLCs and the sitting member of parliament L R Shivarame Gowda (in Mandya)."

Speaking to reporters in Udupi, the Chief Minister said he did not depend on the alliance partner, Congress in Mandya.

"Some Congress leaders are working and some are not working (in Mandya), but I am not upset with that. There is a section out to finish me off by defeating Nikhil Kumaraswamy. However, they don't have the support of the local people there," Kumaraswamy alleged.

He was responding to a query about the squabbling among coalition partners -- JD(S) and Congress.

"I have eight MLAs (in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency), three MLCs and the sitting Lok Sabha member (L R Shivarame Gowda) are there.. They will work.. I won't blame anybody."

Noting that the situation was 'adverse' for JDS in Mandya while there was reported discord among coalition partners in Tumakuru and Hassan also, he, however, said, "We will not let down the candidates of our alliance partner."

Three days ago, the JD(S) workers had openly rebelled against the Congress candidate for Mysore constituency, C H Vijayashankar and shouted pro-BJP slogans in the presence of Higher Education Minister and JD(S) MLA G T Deve Gowda.

The outburst was against the 'hostility' of Congress in Mandya and Hassan, the two constituencies where former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna are contesting the Lok Sabha election.

Reacting to film actress Sumalatha Ambareesh's accusation that the JD(S) was playing 'mischief' in Mandya, the chief minister retorted it was she who has been running a negative campaign.

He also refuted her charge that the JD(S) fielded her three namesakes.

"How can I stop anyone from contesting the election? Kumaraswamy contended.

Sumalatha, the widow of popular Kannada actor and former MP from Mandya Ambareesh, is giving a tough time to Nikhil with the support of BJP and some disgruntled Congress and JD(S) leaders.