The Election Commission of India (ECI) has once again reassigned a high-ranking official from West Bengal to a different state. Supratim Sarkar, the former Kolkata Police Commissioner, has been appointed as a Police Observer for the upcoming elections in Tamil Nadu.

Key Details of the Appointment

Following the announcement of the election schedule, the ECI initially moved Supratim Sarkar from his post as Police Commissioner to the position of ADG, CID. In this latest development, he has been tasked with overseeing five assembly constituencies in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, including:

* Tirunelveli
* Ambasamudram
* Palayamkottai
* Nanguneri
* Radhapuram

This deployment was executed under the authority of Article 324 of the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

A Pattern of Reassignments

Sarkar is not the only senior official being moved. Earlier, the ECI reassigned IAS officer Jagdish Prasad Meena. After being moved from his role as State Home Secretary to the Department of Child and Woman Development by the State Government, the Commission subsequently posted him to Tamil Nadu as an observer.

Administrative Shuffles and Political Friction

Since the election dates were finalized, the ECI has implemented a series of high-profile transfers across West Bengal. This includes the removal or replacement of:

* The Chief Secretary and Home Secretary
* The Director General of Police (DGP)
* The Kolkata Police Commissioner
* Several District Magistrates (DMs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs)

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed strong opposition to these frequent administrative changes. She has formally raised her concerns in a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, highlighting the ongoing tension between the state executive and the Commission’s oversight.

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