Official in Bengal CEO's office shifted to UP

KOLKATA: Two days after transferring eight officials in the state, the Election Commission on Wednesday shifted an official from West Bengal chief electoral officer's office to uttar Pradesh.

Chief electoral officer Sunil Gupta said the IAS official Barun Roy — working as officer on special duty and secretary — has been shifted as general observer to Hamirpur constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

He described it as a "routine" transfer.

The EC's order on Monday to transfer eight officials including five superintendents of police and a district magistrates had led to a major confrontation with the state government, with chief minister Mamata Banerjee refusing to obey it and declaring "not a single official" will be shifted.

She accused the poll panel of hatching a conspiracy to facilitate rigging by the opposition parties and said she was even prepared to go to jail.

However, Banerjee blinked after a day and Wedneday the state government complied with the EC order in toto.