NEW DELHI: IPS officer Sanjay Mukherjee has been appointed the new West Bengal Director-General of Police (DGP) by the Election Commission of India (ECI), a day after the election body transferred the State’s current DGP Rajeev Kumar.
Mr. Mukherjee‘s appointment by the ECI also comes after the West Bengal government appointed Vivek Sahay as the new DGP hours after Mr. Kumar was transferred.
In a memo to the State Chief Secretary, ECI secretary Rakesh Kumar said that the Commission approved Mr. Mukherjee’s name for the post of DGP and directed the Chief Secretary to ensure immediate compliance and confirm the same by 5 p.m.
A senior official said that Mr. Sahay’s appointment was based on his seniority, but since he is scheduled to superannuate in the final week of May before the Lok Sabha elections conclude, the poll panel named Mr. Mukherjee as the DGP.
The reshuffle in the State’s top police establishment was done days after the notification for general elections. The 42 Lok Sabha seats in the State will go polls in seven phases. Mr. Kumar was appointed the State’s DGP three months ago.
His transfer, according to the commission, is part of its “efforts to maintain a level-playing field and ensure the integrity of the electoral process”.
