A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging transfers of bureaucrats and police officers in West Bengal ordered by the Election Commission of India (ECI), according to reports. These transfers were initiated after the Model Code of Conduct came into force on Sunday.
The petition was filed before a Division Bench of the High Court in the run-up to the state’s two-phase Assembly elections scheduled for next month. The case argues against the administrative reshuffles carried out by the Commission during the election period.
The PIL was filed on behalf of petitioner Arka Nag, with senior advocate and four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member Kalyan Banerjee representing the matter. The challenge brings the transfers into judicial review, amid politically sensitive circumstances.
Transfers of officials during elections are commonly undertaken to ensure neutrality and adherence to the Model Code of Conduct. However, this case reflects contestation over the scale or timing of those orders in West Bengal.
The proceedings are expected to draw attention from political and administrative circles alike, as the High Court’s response could influence how election-time transfers are implemented in the state.
