In a fresh escalation of tensions ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and senior advocate Kalyan Banerjee has approached the Calcutta High Court, challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) recent transfer of senior IAS and IPS officers in the state.
Banerjee’s petition questions the legality of the large-scale administrative reshuffle carried out soon after the announcement of the election schedule. He has argued that the ECI acted without consulting the state government before ordering the transfers, raising concerns over procedural fairness and federal norms.
The plea names Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as a respondent and seeks an urgent hearing. The matter was mentioned before a division bench led by the Chief Justice, with the petitioner requesting that the case be taken up at the earliest. According to legal sources, the hearing is likely to take place early next week.
The controversy stems from sweeping changes ordered by the ECI shortly after the Model Code of Conduct came into force. Several top posted as—including the chief secretary, home secretary, and director general of police—were replaced within hours of the poll announcement on March 15.
The Election Commission has defended such reshuffles as part of its mandate to ensure free and fair elections, especially in poll-bound states. However, the move has triggered sharp political reactions in West Bengal, with the ruling TMC alleging overreach by the poll body.
The upcoming elections to the 294-member West Bengal Assembly are scheduled to be held in two phases on April 23 and April 29, with counting of votes on May 4.
Banerjee’s legal challenge adds a new dimension to the ongoing tussle between the state government and the Election Commission, with the Calcutta High Court now set to examine the constitutional and administrative validity of the transfers.
