FILE photo: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
A day after Mamata Banerjee dared the Election Commission (EC) to "remove anybody while I am in charge," her West Bengal government has reportedly agreed to transfer eight officials in the state.
The state government has, however, reportedly requested that the commission choose the officials who will replace the five superintendents of police, one district magistrate and two additional district magistrates, from a list of names it has forwarded.
This list, which reportedly does not include officials that the Election Commission had picked as replacements, was forwarded to the panel in a letter written by West Bengal's chief secretary this morning, sources said. The chief secretary also reportedly sought that the EC reconsider its decision.
Yesterday, a furious Ms Banerjee had dug in her heels saying, "You will only listen to the Congress... to make the Congress win, BJP win. You will have to take my resignation. I will not remove a single officer, not while I am Chief Minister. Do what you like."
(Furious Mamata dares Election Commission to transfer officials in Bengal)Election Commission sources had pointed out that the panel has the option of cancelling or postponing polls in certain West Bengal constituencies if the officers are not transferred.
"The EC's mandate is to conduct free and fair elections... If the officials are not transferred then polls can be cancelled or postponed in those constituencies," a senior official said early this morning.
The commission had ordered the transfer of these officials to ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal, it said, after receiving complaints against them.
West Bengal begins polling from April 17 in five phases.
(India Votes 2014: full coverage)