KOLKATA: In an unprecedented move, the Election Commission has asked the state government to replace city police commissioner Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti because he has been in his present position for more than three years.
The government is now faced with two crucial decisions at the same time who to select as the next commissioner, with the elections a month away, as well as to give Chakrabarti, an efficient officer with high credibility, a suitable alternative position.
Chief secretary Samar Ghosh and home secretary G D Gautama went into a huddle to discuss this on Wednesday morning.
The EC order came as a surprise in the corridors of Writers' Buildings because there was no rule or EC directive so far to transfer an officer of the rank of commissioner of police. "In case of Kolkata Police, there is a specific clause that transfer of officers, who have been in a particular place for more than three years, would apply only up to the rank of divisional commissioner," chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta said on Wednesday.
The EC, in a letter late on Tuesday night, asked the government for a panel of names to choose the next commissioner. The names doing the rounds are Raj Kanojia (1982 batch) and R K Pachnanda (1983). Banibrata Basu (1983) and Shivaji Ghosh (1985) are said to be among the probables as well. In terms of seniority, V V Thambi, ADG (police recruitment board), is the first in line. He is the same batch as Chakrabarti, 1978, and has also worked with Kolkata Police. Next in seniority are ADG (human rights) K Prabhakar Rao, ADG (fire services) Jogesh Chattopadhyay and ADG (prisons) B D Sharma. Chattopadhyay and Sharma have been with Kolkata Police.
Sources say that keeping the elections in mind the government is likely to select someone who has handled tough assignments and has rich policing experience. The government top brass discussed these issues throughout the day.
Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti is an officer of the ADG rank in the state government and was recently empanelled to hold ADG rank in the Government of India. There was already talk of his taking up a central deputation.
The state government has completed the exercise of transferring all those who were serving in their home district or had been in a particular district for more than three years, following the EC's directives (sent in an order on December 14, 2010). The EC said the directive was not applicable for those posted in the state headquarters. The chief secretary on Wednesday clarified that the December order was not applicable in case of the city police commissioner.
"I don't know why the Election Commission ordered the transfer now. We have responded to it, however. The EC will give the clearance and the government will give the appointment," chief secretary Samar Ghosh said.
The CEO said that under Section 28 of the Representation of People's Act, every policeman from the director general to constable is under the Election Commission till the end of the polling process on May 18. Home secretary G D Gautama has issued an order on this. By this, the CEO implied that the EC could take any decision on any transfer. However, it has still surprised many since the order was sudden and unexpected.
The government is now faced with two crucial decisions at the same time who to select as the next commissioner, with the elections a month away, as well as to give Chakrabarti, an efficient officer with high credibility, a suitable alternative position.
Chief secretary Samar Ghosh and home secretary G D Gautama went into a huddle to discuss this on Wednesday morning.
The EC order came as a surprise in the corridors of Writers' Buildings because there was no rule or EC directive so far to transfer an officer of the rank of commissioner of police. "In case of Kolkata Police, there is a specific clause that transfer of officers, who have been in a particular place for more than three years, would apply only up to the rank of divisional commissioner," chief electoral officer Sunil Kumar Gupta said on Wednesday.
The EC, in a letter late on Tuesday night, asked the government for a panel of names to choose the next commissioner. The names doing the rounds are Raj Kanojia (1982 batch) and R K Pachnanda (1983). Banibrata Basu (1983) and Shivaji Ghosh (1985) are said to be among the probables as well. In terms of seniority, V V Thambi, ADG (police recruitment board), is the first in line. He is the same batch as Chakrabarti, 1978, and has also worked with Kolkata Police. Next in seniority are ADG (human rights) K Prabhakar Rao, ADG (fire services) Jogesh Chattopadhyay and ADG (prisons) B D Sharma. Chattopadhyay and Sharma have been with Kolkata Police.
Sources say that keeping the elections in mind the government is likely to select someone who has handled tough assignments and has rich policing experience. The government top brass discussed these issues throughout the day.
Gautam Mohan Chakrabarti is an officer of the ADG rank in the state government and was recently empanelled to hold ADG rank in the Government of India. There was already talk of his taking up a central deputation.
The state government has completed the exercise of transferring all those who were serving in their home district or had been in a particular district for more than three years, following the EC's directives (sent in an order on December 14, 2010). The EC said the directive was not applicable for those posted in the state headquarters. The chief secretary on Wednesday clarified that the December order was not applicable in case of the city police commissioner.
"I don't know why the Election Commission ordered the transfer now. We have responded to it, however. The EC will give the clearance and the government will give the appointment," chief secretary Samar Ghosh said.
The CEO said that under Section 28 of the Representation of People's Act, every policeman from the director general to constable is under the Election Commission till the end of the polling process on May 18. Home secretary G D Gautama has issued an order on this. By this, the CEO implied that the EC could take any decision on any transfer. However, it has still surprised many since the order was sudden and unexpected.
No comments:
Post a Comment