EC keeps transfer orders of 5 IPS officers out of 15 on hold

KOLKATA: (Mar 19) The Election Commission of India has kept in abeyance its earlier decision to depute five IPS officers from West Bengal to other states as police observers for the upcoming assembly elections here, an official said on Thursday.

The poll panel had on Wednesday issued a notification announcing the transfer of 15 IPS officers, including Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Muralidhar Sharma and Siliguri Police Commissioner Syed Waqar Raza, to serve as observers in elections outside the state.

However, within 24 hours, the Commission revised its decision for five of them. The remaining 10 officers will proceed to other states as scheduled to take up their roles as police observers, officials said.