After Oppn complaints, EC replaces Nandigram police chief day before bypoll

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari addresses during the nomination filing procession of BJP candidate Hasirani Rath for the Nandigram assembly by-poll, at the SDO office at Haldia, in 

The Election Commission replaced Nandigram's police station inspector-in-charge, Ajay Kumar Mishra, with Debashis Sarkar just one day before the crucial bypoll.

The replacement followed complaints from opposition parties alleging Mishra's bias and closeness to the ruling party, raising concerns about electoral fairness.

Congress leaders expressed doubts about the EC's neutrality, citing issues like the location of the counting centre and the Supreme Court's upholding of bail for a bypoll candidate.

Nandigram holds significant political importance in West Bengal, known for its role in Mamata Banerjee's rise and the recent defeat of the TMC supremo by Suvendu Adhikari in the 2021 state elections.

The bypoll was necessitated after Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur, relinquished the Nandigram seat.

The Election Commission on Monday replaced the inspector-in-charge of Nandigram police station, a day before the bypoll to the assembly constituency in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district, a senior official said.

Debashis Sarkar was appointed to the post, replacing Ajay Kumar Mishra, he said.

This came after opposition parties approached the Election Commission, alleging that Mishra was close to the ruling party.

Opposition Alleges Bias, EC Responds

Mishra was posted as the inspector-in-charge of the Nandigram police station ahead of the Assembly elections held earlier this year.

Sarkar currently serves as the traffic inspector in Tamluk and the inspector-in-charge of the Cyber Crime police station.

When contacted, Sarkar said he has just learnt about the change and was yet to receive the formal order. "I was in Nandigram to oversee traffic arrangements as Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is scheduled to come here to cast his vote tomorrow. That is when I learnt about it," Sarkar said.

Congress Raises Concerns Over Poll Fairness

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, "It is a good thing that the inspector-in-charge has been changed in Nandigram. But whether the Election Commission will actually conduct a free and fair election in Nandigram and Rejinagar tomorrow will only become clear after the polls take place."

The party's state unit president, Subhankar Sarkar, who was in Delhi as the West Bengal government challenged in the Supreme Court the interim bail granted to the Congress' Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan, alleged electoral bias on the part of the poll watchdog.

The apex court has upheld the bail order passed by the Calcutta High Court.

"Serious questions have already been raised over the commission's neutrality in conducting polls across the country. In Nandigram, we have objected to setting up the counting centre at Reyapara within the constituency," he said.

"This is highly unusual. Previously, counting centres for this seat used to be set up in Haldia, but not this time. We wonder why. We apprehend that votes may get looted during the counting process after the first few rounds," Subhankar Sarkar added.

Nandigram's Political Significance

Ahead of this year's Assembly elections, the state police underwent a major reshuffle. Several officials were transferred across districts to ensure a "transparent election process".

Subsequently, after the election results were announced, Nandigram's inspector-in-charge Shubhabrata Nath was removed, and Ajay Kumar Mishra was appointed in his place. At the time, Nath was made an inspector in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the state police.

Nandigram holds a special significance in the political landscape of Bengal. The constituency played a major role in TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee's political rise during the 2007-08 anti-land-grab agitation. During the 2021 state elections, she was defeated in Nandigram by Suvendu Adhikari.

Adhikari, who had contested from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in this year's assembly elections and won both seats, relinquished the Nandigram seat, necessitating a fresh election there.

Polling will be held in Nandigram and Rejinagar on Tuesday, with counting of votes scheduled for October 9.