Election Commission removes Kolkata Police chief

The Election Commission of India (EC) on Friday removed Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma and his counterpart in the Bidhannagar Commissionerate Gyanwant Singh.

The EC order, which came in the form of a missive to state Chief Secretary Malay De, said Rajesh Kumar would take over as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner.

N. Ramesh Babu would replace Gyanwant Singh.

The EC also removed two Superintendents of Police -- Shyam Singh of Birbhum and P.S. Selvamurugan of Diamond Harbour police district.

Avanyu Rabindranath would be the new Birbhum police superintendent while Srihari Pande takes over as the Diamond Harbour police superintendent.

The EC has directed that the orders be implemented with immediate effect and a compliance report be sent within 24 hours.

"The present incumbent officers being shifted not to be involved by the state government in any election-related duties," the letter said.

This is first time that the EC has cracked down on any IPS officer in West Bengal since the announcement of polls last month.

The state opposition parties have been regularly complaining about "the partisan" role of a section of the IPS and administrative officers in the state. - IANS