Major bureaucratic reshuffle ordered by EC ahead of 2026 polls
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New Delhi: The Election Commission of India has initiated a significant reshuffle of senior IPS and IAS officers in West Bengal, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu in preparation for the 2026 Assembly elections.
Officials indicated that around 27 officers have been transferred and reassigned with immediate effect. The Commission has reportedly instructed state authorities to submit compliance reports confirming that the officers have taken charge of their new postings by 11 am on Wednesday.
West Bengal, which is set to vote in 294 constituencies, saw the highest number of transfers, with 19 officers affected, TNIE reported.
According to officials, the reshuffle includes the appointment of six senior IPS officers to key positions such as Additional Director General (ADG), Inspector General of Police (IGP), and Commissioners of Police. Rajesh Kumar Singh has been assigned as ADG & IGP for the South Bengal Region, while K. Jayaraman will oversee the North Bengal Region in a similar role.
Pranav Kumar has been posted as Commissioner of Police for Asansol-Durgapur, and Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi for Howrah. Amit Kumar Singh will head Barrackpore as Commissioner, and Sunil Kumar Yadav has been appointed to Chandannagar.
Sources further noted that 13 Superintendents of Police have also been shifted across various districts, along with additional changes in Kolkata and other key locations.
In Kerala, five officers from the administrative and police services have been reassigned. Officials said Narayanan will serve as the District Police Chief of Kozhikode, while Thomson Jose has been appointed Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Thrissur Range. Inbasekhar has taken charge as District Collector-cum-District Election Officer of Alappuzha.
Tamil Nadu has also seen transfers involving four IPS officers at the Superintendent of Police level. D.N. Harikiran Prasad has been posted to Karur, D.V. Kiran Shruthi to Erode, Sujith Kumar to Nagapattinam, and Dr N. Shreenatha to Virudhunagar. The deadline for compliance in Tamil Nadu was reportedly set for 11 am on March 17.
The Commission has additionally directed that officers who have been moved from their current positions should not be given any election-related responsibilities until the electoral process is completed, officials added.