Mamata writes to CEC protesting removal of top state officials, calls it unilateral

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has formally registered a strong protest with the Election Commission of India (ECI) following the sweeping transfer of several top state officials. In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on March 16, 2026, the Chief Minister expressed "deep concern and surprise" over the sudden removal of the heads of the state's administrative and police machinery. The transfers, which included the Chief Secretary, the Home Secretary, and the Director General of Police (DGP), were ordered just hours after the announcement of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Mamata Banerjee characterized these moves as "unilateral" and "arbitrary," asserting that they were carried out without the customary consultation with the state government. Historically, the ECI would request a panel of three names from the state before making such appointments. By bypassing this established convention, Banerjee argues that the Commission has undermined the spirit of cooperative federalism. She emphasized that these senior officers were replaced without any specific allegations of misconduct or lapses related to election conduct, making the "sweeping transfers" appear unjustified.

The Chief Minister’s letter highlights the constitutional tension between the ECI’s powers under Article 324 and the administrative propriety required in a federal structure. She noted that while the Commission holds authority over officers on election duty, such drastic changes without a cogent reason risk diluting the credibility and institutional integrity of the electoral process. Banerjee called on the ECI to uphold the values inherent in India’s federal structure and refrain from adopting such unilateral measures in the future.