<p>As the 2026 <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal">West Bengal</a> Assembly Elections nears, a day after the announcement of the poll schedule, the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/election-commission-india">Election Commission</a> (EC) on Monday replaced Peeyush Pandey and appointed senior IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta as the director general of police.</p><p>The poll panel also replaced Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar with Ajay Kumar Nand. The Election Commission stated that the decision to remove the officers came after a review of the state’s poll preparedness.</p><p>An official communication further indicated that the poll panel instructed the state government to appoint Siddh Nath Gupta as Director General and Inspector General of Police (in-charge), while Natarajan Ramesh Babu has been appointed Director General of Correctional Services.</p>.Assembly Elections 2026: BJP eyes gains in polls to five assemblies; West Bengal main challenge.<p>It also ordered the posting of Ajay Mukund Ranade as Additional Director General and IGP (Law and Order) and Ajay Kumar Nand as Commissioner of Kolkata Police.</p><p><em>PTI</em> quoted an official saying, "The commission directed that the orders be implemented immediately and asked the state government to submit a compliance report by 3 pm on Monday."</p><p>The EC also said those transferred should not be posted in any election-related assignment till the completion of the polls. </p><p>State's ruling party, Trinamool Congress, staged a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha on Monday, protesting the Election Commission's decision to remove the state's top bureaucrats.</p><p><em>(With PTI inputs)</em></p>
<p>As the 2026 <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/india/west-bengal">West Bengal</a> Assembly Elections nears, a day after the announcement of the poll schedule, the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/election-commission-india">Election Commission</a> (EC) on Monday replaced Peeyush Pandey and appointed senior IPS officer Siddh Nath Gupta as the director general of police.</p><p>The poll panel also replaced Kolkata Police Commissioner Supratim Sarkar with Ajay Kumar Nand. The Election Commission stated that the decision to remove the officers came after a review of the state’s poll preparedness.</p><p>An official communication further indicated that the poll panel instructed the state government to appoint Siddh Nath Gupta as Director General and Inspector General of Police (in-charge), while Natarajan Ramesh Babu has been appointed Director General of Correctional Services.</p>.Assembly Elections 2026: BJP eyes gains in polls to five assemblies; West Bengal main challenge.<p>It also ordered the posting of Ajay Mukund Ranade as Additional Director General and IGP (Law and Order) and Ajay Kumar Nand as Commissioner of Kolkata Police.</p><p><em>PTI</em> quoted an official saying, "The commission directed that the orders be implemented immediately and asked the state government to submit a compliance report by 3 pm on Monday."</p><p>The EC also said those transferred should not be posted in any election-related assignment till the completion of the polls. </p><p>State's ruling party, Trinamool Congress, staged a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha on Monday, protesting the Election Commission's decision to remove the state's top bureaucrats.</p><p><em>(With PTI inputs)</em></p>