Calcutta High Court reserved its judgment on a PIL challenging the Election Commission of India decision ordering widespread transfers, replacements and deputations of officers in poll-bound West Bengal.
A division bench of the Calcutta High Court reserved its judgment on a public interest litigation challenging the Election Commission of India’s decision to carry out widespread transfers, replacements and deputations of bureaucrats and police officers in poll-bound West Bengal.
The hearing before Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen concluded.
The bench ordered the Election Commission to hand over all documents related to those transfers, replacements and deputations by March 30.
The court will pronounce its verdict after reviewing the material.
During the proceedings, the ECI’s counsel maintained that such administrative changes were not unique to West Bengal and pointed out that comparable steps had been taken in other states holding elections.
The counsel rejected the petitioner’s and the West Bengal government’s claim that the scale of transfers in the state was disproportionately high, arguing,
“In Bihar, 48 officials were transferred before the last Assembly elections there. Although a case was filed against these transfers in the Supreme Court, the apex court did not interfere. A total of 61 officials were transferred in Maharashtra, 83 in Uttar Pradesh, and 49 in Madhya Pradesh before Assembly elections in those states. In West Bengal, only 23 bureaucrats and police officers were transferred.”
After hearing arguments from both sides, the division bench reserved judgment pending receipt of the ECI’s documents.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again criticised the Commission’s large-scale transfers in the state on Friday, saying such extensive reshuffles were hampering smooth administrative functioning.