A day after Bengal DGP's transfer by EC, O'Brien Calls for 'Supreme Court-Monitored Election'

Soon after the replacement of DGP of West Bengal Rajeev Kumar with a new IPS Officer Vivek Sahay by the ECI, the poll panel defended its move saying Bengal DGP and Home Secretaries of six states were aimed at ensuring the principles of transparency, fairness and freedom in the electoral process. Trinamool Congress, however, accused the BJP-led Centre of manipulating the electoral landscape in the country.

New Delhi:A day after DGP of West Bengal Raveev Kumar was replaced with a new IPS Officer Vivek Sahay by the Election Commission, Trinamool Congress stepped up attack on the BJP-led Centre on Tuesday with party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien demanding Supreme Court-monitored Lok Sabha polls alleging that BJP's tricks are destroying the Election Commission of India (ECI).

The TMC leader hit out at the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing them of manipulating the electoral landscape ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. "BJP's filthy tricks destroying institutions like ECI. Are BJP so nervous to face people that they are turning ECI into a party office to target Oppn? ECI or HMV? Transferring officers of elected State govts! For free & fair elections. We want a Supreme Court-monitored election," O'Brien stated in a post on X.

Earlier TMC Spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had also criticised the Union Government after the ECI took the decision to replace DGP Rajeev Kumar. "We have seen that the BJP is trying its best to grab different organisations including ECI. They have taken over the control of central agencies and different organisations. In this case also, after the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, what we saw today is the reflection of BJP. It is trying its best to grab and monitor the functioning of these kinds of organisations, including ECI" Kunal Ghosh said.

The Trinamool Congress' claims come after DGP of West Bengal Raveev Kumar was replaced with a new IPS Officer Vivek Sahay by the ECI. The ECI took this decision in anticipation of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The ECI said the steps to replace the Bengal DGP and Home Secretaries of six states were aimed at upholding the principles of transparency, fairness and freedom in the electoral process. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued orders for the removal of Home Secretaries in six states namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Apart from this, the ECI also ordered the removal of certain key officials of six states in what it termed a decisive move towards upholding the principles of free, fair and transparent elections.

Additionally, the Secretary of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been removed. The Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal will be held in 7 phases starting April 19. In the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections TMC won 22 seats with a vote share of 43.7 percent while the BJP won 18 seats with a vote share of 40.6 percent. The Congress had won two seats in the state.

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