Rajiva Sinha to step down, Ajit Ranjan Bardhan to be the next state Election commissioner

In a recent development, Rajiva Sinha, the appointed State Election Commissioner of West Bengal, is set to step down from his position. Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose has reportedly refused to accept Sinha's joining report, creating uncertainty regarding his continuation as the state poll panel chief and casting a shadow over the upcoming rural polls scheduled for July 8.

As the governor is responsible for appointing the state election commissioner, it is necessary for the poll panel chief to submit a joining report to the governor. The refusal to accept the report has raised questions about the next course of action, as there is no recent precedent in such a situation.

Speculation has emerged from sources suggesting that the governor's decision may be influenced by instructions from Delhi, following the state BJP leaders' approach to the central leadership to take action. The BJP, particularly Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari, has expressed dissatisfaction with the governor's selection of Sinha as the poll chief from a list of three senior IAS officers provided by the state government.

Sources within the BJP have highlighted Sinha's close association with the government, and it has been suggested that selecting either A.R. Bardhan or M.V. Rao from the list of candidates would have avoided such issues.

The state BJP has been critical of Sinha since his appointment, citing reasons such as his unilateral announcement of the poll schedule without consulting opposition parties. Additionally, Sinha's refusal to meet with the governor to discuss poll-related violence, citing busy schedule with nomination paper scrutiny, has been mentioned as a factor in the governor's decision to reject the joining report.

It is important to note that the governor's refusal to accept the joining letter does not automatically result in the removal of the poll panel chief. The governor can initiate the process for removal, but it would need to be referred to the high court for further inquiry, making the process more complex.