Kolkata, 29 March (H.S.):

The Election Commission of India has ordered another round of transfers of state administrative officials in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming elections. On Sunday, the Commission directed the transfer of Block Development Officers (BDOs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) across 83 blocks, including two in Nandigram.

According to official sources, the highest number of transfers has been carried out in Purba Medinipur district, where 14 BDOs and AROs have been shifted. This is followed by South 24 Parganas with 11 transfers.

Apart from these, three officials have been transferred in Cooch Behar, four in Jalpaiguri, one each in North Dinajpur and South Dinajpur, six in Malda, and four in Murshidabad.

In other districts, five officials have been transferred in Nadia, seven in North 24 Parganas, four in Hooghly, one in Howrah, two in Paschim Medinipur, three in Purulia, four in Bankura, seven in Purba Bardhaman, one in Paschim Bardhaman, and six in Birbhum.

Meanwhile, a separate notification issued by the state secretariat Nabanna on Sunday stated that four Returning Officers have been reassigned to different Assembly constituencies.

Earlier on Thursday night, the Election Commission had transferred 14 Returning Officers across nine districts of the state, just five days after their appointment. Notably, the highest number of changes in Returning Officers was also made in Purba Medinipur, where officials in five Assembly constituencies were replaced.

The Commission had also appointed new Returning Officers in nine constituencies, including Nandigram, the seat represented by Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari.

The repeated reshuffle of officials is seen as part of the Commission’s efforts to ensure free and fair elections in the state.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey