KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday suspended five police officials, including an IPS officer, in South 24 Parganas district on charges of ‘serious misconduct’ and failure to maintain impartiality in connection with poll duties, four days ahead of the second phase of voting in West Bengal.
The ECI’s decision to suspend an IPS officer is the first of its kind in the state. The suspended officials are Sandip Garai, Additional Superintendent of Police (Diamond Harbour), Sajal Mondal, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, Mausam Chakraborty, Inspector-in-Charge (Diamond Harbour police station), Ajay Bag, IC Falta police station, and Subhechchha Bag, Officer-in-Charge of Usthi police station.
The Commission has also warned Diamond Harbour SP, Ishnani Pal, for “failure to ensure discipline and fairness on the part of her subordinate officers in sensitive matters like elections”.
In a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary D Nariel, ECI secretary Sujeet Kumar Mishra said, “After considering the facts and circumstances of the matter, the Commission directs that the following officers may be suspended forthwith and disciplinary proceedings be initiated for their serious misconduct and failure to maintain neutrality during West Bengal Legislative Elections 2026.”
The Commission has asked the Chief Secretary to implement the directive immediately and submit a compliance report.
Sources in the Commission said the officers had earlier been sensitised multiple times over alleged partisan conduct during election duties in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency area. Abhishek Banerjee, national general secretary of the ruling Trinamool Congress, is the party MP from the seat.
Sources also said the Commission has forwarded the suspension proposal of Sandip Garai to the Union Home Ministry, as it pertains to service matters of IPS officers across the country.
Separately, the poll body had also suspended Sandip Sarkar, OC of Hingalganj police station in North 24 Parganas, on similar charges of alleged partisan conduct in poll duties.
The ruling Trinamool Congress leadership, including Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, has accused the ECI of acting proactively in transferring bureaucrats and IPS officers abruptly without informing the state government.
Mamata Banerjee has also written multiple letters to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, protesting sudden transfers of officials that she said were disrupting administrative functioning.