Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday communicated to the West Bengal government informing about its decision to stall the state-government ordered departmental transfers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers from the West Bengal cadre who are currently on temporary deputation to the Commission for the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) in the state.
In the communique to West Bengal Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty, the ECI’s secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra also reminded that the state government should obtain prior concurrence of the Commission in future before issuing such orders for departmental transfers of IAS officers currently on deputation to the ECI.
In the diplomatically strongly-worded communique, the ECI secretary reminded the State Chief Secretary that during the SIR period, the chief secretaries must ensure that no official involved in the SIR process is transferred without prior approval from the Commission.
The Commission maintained that ECI had appointed 12 electoral roll observers along with five divisional commissioners for the SIR purpose, and these officers are on deemed deputation to the ECI for the SIR.
Thereafter, the ECI secretary claimed in the communique that it recently came to the notice of the Commission that the state government had ordered the departmental transfers/posting of three IAS officers, namely Asvini Kumar Yadav, Randhir Kumar, and Smita Pandey.
“Since the transfers of these officers have been ordered without prior concurrence of the Election Commission, it violated the Commission’s instructions in the matter,” said the ECI communique.
“In view of the above, I am directed to state that the transfer orders be cancelled forthwith. Further, you are requested to obtain prior concurrence of the Commission before issuing such orders in the future. A compliance in this regard may be sent to the Commission by 03:00 p.m. on 28.01.2026,” the communique read.
At the time the report was filed, there was no reaction either from the state government or from the ruling Trinamool Congress on the matter.
