EC Replaces Bengal DGP Again within 24 Hours, Sanjay Mukherjee New Police Chief
Sanjay Mukherjee has been appointed as the new West Bengal DGP by Election Commission, less than 24 hours after the commission had ordered the removal of State DGP Rajiv Kumar and named Vivek Sahay for the post.
Published : Mar 19, 2024, 2:28 PM IST
|Updated : Mar 19, 2024, 3:55 PM IST
Kolkata (West Bengal): The Election Commission on Tuesday removed Vivek Sahay as West Bengal DGP, less than 24 hours after naming him for the post, and directed the state government to appoint Sanjay Mukherjee in his place.
Sahay's appointment was based on his seniority, but since he is scheduled to superannuate in the final week of May before the Lok Sabha elections conclude, the poll panel named Mukherjee as the DGP, PTI reported quoting a senior official.
Mukherjee, a 1989-batch IPS officer, was the second person on the list of the three officers recommended by the West Bengal government for the post of DGP to the EC. The poll panel directed the state to ensure immediate compliance and confirm the appointment by 5 pm on Tuesday.
The election body wrote to the chief secretary of West Bengal: “The Commission has approved the name of Shri Sanjay Mukherjee, IPS, for the post of Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal. Kindly ensure immediate compliance and confirm the same latest by 5 pm today.”
On Monday, the Commission had ordered the removal of DGP West Bengal Rajiv Kumar. The top official was considered close to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The EC also ordered the removal of Home Secretaries in six states of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Meanwhile, 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 ECI.
The TMC leader hit out at the 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.
Read More: