PremiumDay ahead of the fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday removed an SP rank officer posted in the security of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The step against Asoke Chakraborty, an officer on special duty (OSD) in an ex-cadre post in the rank of superintendent of police, is believed to have been taken because of "security lapses", which led to CM Banerjee's foot injury in Nandigram last month.
Premium "He is removed from the post with immediate effect," the official in the state CEO's office was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
CM Banerjee suffered the injury after a fall while campaigning in her constituency Nandigram last month. Since then, she is seeking votes for her party sitting on a wheelchair.
The poll panel earlier suspended Banerjee's Director Security Vivek Sahay following the incident.
The ECI, in an order, also attached Ajeet Singh Yadav, SP of Counter Insurgency Force, to the Howrah Police Commissionerate, "in view of the sensitivity of the assembly election in Howrah district in phase 4" on Saturday.
The officer, who is directed to report to the Commissioner of Police of Howrah immediately, "will be released after completion of the duty," it said.
The fourth phase of the West Bengal Assembly election, scheduled to take place on April 10, will witness the deployment of a total of 900 companies of security forces, the West Bengal Chief Electoral Office informed on Friday.
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Premium Premium A total of 44 Assembly constituencies across five districts will go to polls in this phase, including Howrah, Hooghly, South 24 Parganas, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar. A total of 373 candidates are in fray to contest the polls on Saturday.
The first three phases of the eight-phased West Bengal polls have already been completed. The fourth phase will be held in 44 Assembly seats on April 10. Results will be declared on May 2.
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