Kolkata
The West Bengal government has initiated the removal of bureaucrats appointed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) before or during the recent Lok Sabha elections to ensure fairness. The process commenced with the removal of Joyoshi Dasgupta, a 2010-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the West Bengal cadre, who served as District Magistrate (DM) of East Midnapore district.
Dasgupta took over from the previous DM, Tanvir Afzal, a West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS)-cadre official, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. However, her tenure lasted less than 24 hours after Modi’s third-term inauguration as Prime Minister.
Her abrupt removal, following the electoral defeat of the ruling Trinamool Congress in East Midnapore constituencies, raised concerns. Allegations surfaced that ECI-appointed observers and officials may have conspired against the Trinamool Congress.
Despite her removal as DM, Dasgupta has not been assigned a new role. She remains attached to the state personnel & administrative reforms department for now. Meanwhile, Purnedu Kumar Majhi, a WBCS cadre officer, has been named as her replacement by the state government.
