Kolkata: In an important move ahead of the assembly polls, the Kolkata Commissioner of police along with CP of Howrah, Barrackpore and Bidhannagar changed.
Replacing Anuj Sharma, the new CP of Kolkata is Soumen Mitra. Sharma is now posted as ADG-CID.
The decision comes after a closed door meeting of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Chief Secretary Alapan Banerjee.
According to sources, the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the move is for upgradation of posts and also that those who have crossed three years in the same post are being changed.
“Election Commission had earlier complained of a few police officers, those officers were changed long back and in today’s meeting it was decided that these officers won’t be put to any use during the election,” stated the sources.
The sources also mentioned that ADG law and order can be Jawed Samim and Ajay Nand can be the police commissioner of Barrackpore.
“The Commissioner of Bidhannagar and Howrah will also be changed. C Sudhakar can be the CP of Howrah,” added the sources.
Notably, the opposition parties had time-and-again complained against the state police to Election Commission of India (ECI).
In a recent visit to the poll bound West Bengal, the full bench of Election Commission of India had slammed Anuj Sharma and Gyanwant Singh.
According to poll analysts, before the Election Commission of India took further steps, the Trinamool Congress government had made the change in the posts ahead of the polls.
Incidentally, before the Assembly elections in 2016, Soumen Mitra had replaced the then Commissioner of police Rajiv Kumar. Mitra’s supervision during the last assembly election was praised by all the political parties.
