Kolkata, 16 March (H.S.): A major administrative reshuffle was carried out in the top ranks of West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police following directions from the Election Commission after the announcement of the Assembly election schedule, officials said on Monday.

Under the changes, state Director General of Police (DGP) Piyush Pandey has been removed from his post and appointed as Director General (Security). Siddhanath Gupta has been made the new acting DGP of West Bengal Police.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar has also been removed from his post. Ajay Kumar Nanda has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police. Sarkar has been posted as Additional Director General (ADG), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and has also been given additional charge as ADG, Intelligence Branch (IB), officials said.

The post of ADG (Law and Order) has also seen a change. Vineet Goyal, who was serving in the position, has been shifted and appointed as Director General of the state Intelligence Branch. Ajay Mukund Ranade has been appointed as the new ADG (Law and Order).

In another change, Natarajan Ramesh Babu has been given charge as Director General (Prisons), while Laxminarayan Meena has been appointed as ADG (Prisons). Manoj Verma has been assigned the responsibility of ADG (Additional Security).

Officials said the Election Commission had earlier clarified that officers removed from their posts during the poll process would not be assigned any election-related responsibilities until the completion of the electoral exercise.

The fresh postings were issued by the state secretariat Nabanna within hours of the Commission’s directive.

The Election Commission on Sunday evening announced the schedule for Assembly elections in West Bengal along with four other states and a Union Territory. Polling in West Bengal will be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The Model Code of Conduct has come into effect in the state following the announcement of the poll schedule.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey