The Election Commission has ordered the West Bengal government to suspend five police officers in Diamond Harbour for alleged misconduct and failing to maintain neutrality during the Assembly polls, PTI reported on Saturday.
The first phase of polling was held on Thursday. The second phase will be conducted on April 29 and the votes will be counted on May 4.
The West Bengal Police and the administration are reporting to the Election Commission as the Model Code of Conduct is in force in the state.
In a communication to the West Bengal chief secretary, the poll panel said that the suspension was ordered after a report submitted by the state chief electoral officer about the conduct of police personnel.
The officers to be suspended are Additional Superintendent of Police Sandip Garai, Sub-Divisional Police Officer Sajal Mondal, Inspector in charge of Diamond Harbour police station Mausam Chakraborty, Inspector in charge of Falta police station Ajay Bag and Officer in charge of Usthi police station Subhechha Bag, PTI quoted unidentified officials as saying.
The Election Commission has also told the state government to send a report about Additional Superintendent of Police Garai to his cadre controlling authority in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, according to the news agency.
It has also been directed to issue a warning to Diamond Harbour Superintendent of Police Ishani Pal for “failing to ensure discipline and fairness” among subordinate officers in election-related duties.
The poll panel asked the state administration to implement the directions and submit a compliance report by 11 am on Saturday.
No repoll in Bengal, Tamil Nadu
Meanwhile, the Election Commission also said that no repoll has been recommended in any polling station in West Bengal or Tamil Nadu where Assembly elections were held on Thursday, PTI reported on Saturday.
An unidentified official from the poll panel told the news agency that the election process in West Bengal was completed without any major disruption that would warrant fresh voting at any booth.
“No repoll has been recommended in any of the 44,376 polling stations of West Bengal where polls were held on Thursday,” PTI quoted the official as saying.
Similarly, no repoll has been recommended in Tamil Nadu in any polling station, the news agency quoted officials as saying. All 234 Assembly seats in the state went to vote in a single phase on Thursday.
Read Scroll’s coverage of the West Bengal Assembly elections here.
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