It officially establishes our assessment that the law and order situation in the state has been severely damaged. Notwithstanding our factual submissions several leaders of TMC have been making claims to the contrary. Therefore this is now clear and admitted by the state government itself.
We are releasing this official reply of the Election Commission regarding our complaint over the West Bengal government’s decision to transfer two top level police officers after the election process to by-elections for three assembly seats have set in motion and the model code of conduct has come into enforcement. It officially establishes our assessment that the law and order situation in the state has been severely damaged. Notwithstanding our factual submissions several leaders of TMC have been making claims to the contrary. Therefore this is now clear and admitted by the state government itself.
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Election Commission of India
Nirvachan Sadan, Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110 001
No. 100/WB-LA/2013 (MCC) Dated 18th February, 2013
To
Shri Sitaram Yechury
Member, Polit Bureau
CPI(M) Central Committee
Subject: Your complaint regarding transfer of Shri Surajit Kar Purkayastha, Additional Director General Police (Law & Order)
Sir,
I have been directed to refer to your above-cited complaint and to state that Government of West Bengal has written to the Commission that there was a sudden incident in Kolkata city on 12th February 2013, leading to the death of Sub-inspector of police and the subsequent deterioration of the law and order in a communally sensitive area of the city. It was recommended by the West Bengal Police Establishment Board in its meeting held late evening on 14th February, 2013 that Shri Surajit Kar Purkayastha then Additional Director General of Police, Law & Order should be appointed as Commissioner of Police, Kolkata. The West Bengal Police Establishment Board in the same meeting recommended the name of Shri Soumen Mitra, then Additional Commissioner of Police, Kolkata for posting as Inspector General of Police, Law & Order. Government accepted these recommendations and issue the transfer orders. Government of West Bengal has further written that there was no intention to bypass the Election Commission of India and has accepted that it was the lapse on their part. They have sought ex-post facto approval of the Commission for these transfers. The Commission has considered this matter and has given Ex-post facto approval to these transfers in view of the fact that these transfers were carried out due to the urgency of the serious law and order incident.
Yours faithfully
Sd/-
(J K Rao)
Under Secretary