Kolkata: The Election Commission has ordered the immediate transfer of 12 senior officers within the Kolkata Police and West Bengal Police as part of its efforts to ensure a level playing field during the ongoing Assembly elections. The reshuffle, announced on Sunday, April 12, 2026, involves the removal of several high-ranking officials from critical administrative and operational roles, including four Deputy Commissioners of the Kolkata Police who overseen significant urban divisions.
In a major overhaul of the Kolkata Police headquarters, Soma Das Mitra, previously DIG (CID), has been appointed as the new Joint Commissioner (Crime). She is joined by Sudip Sarkar, formerly DIG (Personnel), who takes over as Joint Commissioner (Headquarters), and Debasmita Das, who moves from the Special Task Force to become the Joint Commissioner (Intelligence). These appointments are seen as a strategic move by the Commission to tighten oversight on law enforcement activities during the polling season.
The field-level shifts are equally significant, with new Deputy Commissioners appointed for the North, South, East, and South-East divisions of Kolkata. VSR Ananthanag and Pradip Kumar Yadav have taken charge of the South and North divisions, respectively. Additionally, Saikat Ghosh has been moved from the Bhangar Division to the South-East Division, while Prashant Choudhury, the Superintendent of the Counter Insurgency Force, has been posted as the Deputy Commissioner (East). These transfers across various police districts and commissionerates are intended to maintain neutral administrative control and prevent any local political influence over the security apparatus.
