The Election Commission on Tuesday transferred the Joint Block Development Officer (BDO) of Valta in South 24 Parganas district, a few hours before the final and second phase assembly elections in West Bengal, following protests by the ruling TMC in the constituency over the visit of Special Superintendent of Police Ajay Pal Sharma.
The EC also removed two additional district judges, one of them in-charge of South 24 Parganas district, from election-related charge, but did not give reasons as to why in a further notice on Tuesday evening.
Joint BDO, Sourav Hazra, has been transferred from Valta and posted in Purulia with immediate effect, an EC official said.
He said he would be replaced by Ramya Bhattacharya, describing it as a routine transfer.
In the second order, the EC has removed South 24 Parganas Attorney General, Bhaskar Pal, and Birbhum Administrative Officer, Souvik Bhattacharya, from all election-related duties, the official said.
Hazrat’s transfer, which takes place as Falta goes to polls among 245 assembly constituencies on April 29, comes against the backdrop of allegations of non-cooperation with EC-appointed Superintendent of Police Sharma, who faced protests by TMC workers during his visit to the residence of TMC candidate Jahangir Khan and his associates in the area since Monday night.
However, no reason was mentioned in the EC orders.
Sharma, accompanied by Central Force personnel, visited Khan’s residence at midnight on Monday and issued a stern warning over the alleged voter intimidation.
On Tuesday, the situation escalated further as the observer conducted road marches in sensitive areas and conducted searches based on inputs about potential rioters.
The tension reached its peak when Trinamool supporters gathered near the party office and staged a protest against the actions of the controller.
The Prayagraj ACP, which earned the nickname ‘Singham’ for its crackdown on criminals, faced protests as TMC supporters raised ‘Go Back’ and ‘Jai Bangla’ slogans wherever it went.
Valtha, which falls under the Diamond Harbor Lok Sabha seat and is represented by TMC heavyweight Abhishek Banerjee, is a sensitive constituency and saw intense surveillance and deployment of central forces to ensure free and fair elections.
Sharma, an IPS officer in Uttar Pradesh, was seen in a video warning potential rioters of “appropriate treatment” if they try to disrupt the polls on Wednesday in West Bengal.
The Transitional Military Council accused the police superintendent of exceeding his role and “intimidating” party workers.
With over a hundred armed Central paramilitary forces, an armored vehicle, and a list of potential “troublemakers” in his pocket, the 2011 batch IPS combed the Valta Assembly seat in South 24 Parganas district for two days at a trot.
