CM Mamata writes to CEC again, flags ‘undermining’ of Bengal govt authority

Kolkata, March 19 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote another letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, expressing anguish over the large-scale transfer and deputation of bureaucrats and police officers from the state since the Model Code of Conduct came into force on Sunday afternoon.  

She also accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of unconstitutionally undermining the authority of the elected state government.

“While the state is heading towards elections, the elected government continues to function and cannot be undermined or rendered ineffective by any authority. Actions of this nature risk creating an atmosphere akin to an emergency or indirect central rule, which is deeply concerning and unfortunate. They undermine the spirit of cooperative federalism and the fundamental principles of our democratic polity,” read the letter from the Chief Minister to the CEC, a copy of which is available with IANS.

In the letter, she again advised the CEC to refrain from what she described as arbitrary actions, most of which, according to her, are biased, against public interest, and contrary to democratic practices prevailing in the country.

The Chief Minister further claimed that the “arbitrary transfer and deputation” of officers from West Bengal to other states is impractical, especially as the months of March and April are particularly prone to severe storms and nor’westers, which often cause significant damage to life and property.

“Post-disaster rescue, restoration and relief operations are carried out by officers who possess intimate knowledge of the terrain and local vulnerabilities. Their sudden removal at this juncture could severely hamper emergency response efforts,” she argued.

She also stated that bringing in officers from other states to oversee the electoral process for the forthcoming two-phase Assembly elections in West Bengal is impractical.

“Officers brought in from outside, lacking familiarity with local terrain conditions, geography, language, and socio-cultural sensitivities, may not be able to respond effectively. Therefore, any failure in maintaining law and order or in administrative management arising from these decisions would rest solely with the ECI,” the Chief Minister added.

She further argued that these actions by the ECI reflect a deliberate attempt to take cover under Article 324 of the Constitution, which could push West Bengal towards administrative instability and disorder.

“Such biased, hasty and unilateral decisions are unprecedented and do not augur well for a healthy democracy,” she added.