TheElection Commissionof India has suspended five police officers in West Bengal’s Diamond Harbour district for “serious misconduct and failure to maintain neutrality” during the2026 Assembly elections, even as the state recorded ahistoric voter turnout. The poll panel has also initiated disciplinary proceedings against the officers and warned senior officials over lapses in supervision, underscoring concerns about impartiality in sensitive election duties.
According to an official communication sent to the Chief Secretary, the Commission ordered the immediate suspension of Sandip Garai, Additional SP, Diamond Harbour; Sajal Mondal, SDPO, Diamond Harbour; Mausam Chakraborty, Inspector-in-Charge, Diamond Harbour Police Station; Ajay Bag, Inspector-in-Charge, Falta Police Station; and Subhechha Bag, Officer-in-Charge, Usthi Police Station.
The Commission cited “serious misconduct and failure to maintain neutrality” as grounds for the action and directed that disciplinary proceedings be initiated against all five officers. It also issued a warning to Diamond Harbour SP Ishani Pal for alleged failure to ensure discipline and fairness among subordinate officers in election-related matters. The Commission has asked for immediate implementation of its orders and a compliance report by 11 am on Saturday.
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The action comes as polling for Assembly elections concluded with record participation. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, "Highest ever percentage of polling in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu since Independence - ECI salutes each voter of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu."
Polling ended at 6 pm on Thursday, with West Bengal recording a turnout of 91.91 per cent in Phase I, according to official data. Several districts crossed the 90 per cent mark, with Dakshin Dinajpur at 94.85 per cent, Cooch Behar at 94.54 per cent, Birbhum at 93.70 per cent, Jalpaiguri at 93.23 per cent, and Murshidabad at 92.93 per cent.
Polling was conducted across 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and 152 in West Bengal amid tight security. The remaining 142 constituencies in West Bengal will go to polls on May 29, while counting of votes is scheduled for May 4.
Sudhanshu Mishra is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Now. While his day-to-day work centres on news, his writing interests lie in the intersections of cu...View More
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