Centre Seeks Darjeeling DM, Siliguri Police Chief For Deputation After Prez Protocol Breach, WB Govt Refuses
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee however rejected the Centre's requisition, transferred Mr Mishra from the post of Darjeeling DM and brought him into her fold.
Kolkata: In what appears to be a fresh tussle ahead of the Assembly Election in West Bengal, the union government sought the state government to release Darjeeling district magistrate (DM) Manish Mishra and Siliguri police commissioner C Sudhakar for their central deputation, within a week of the protocol breach during President Droupadi Murmu's visit in their jurisdiction.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee however rejected the Centre's requisition, transferred Mr Mishra from the post of Darjeeling DM and brought him into her fold. The 2015-batch IAS officer has been appointed as the special secretary at the state home and hill affairs department headed by the CM. Sunil Agarwal replaced Mr Mishra as Darjeeling DM in a reshuffle.
No decision has been taken for Mr Sudhakar, a 2006-batch IPS officer serving in the rank of Inspector General. Speculation is rife that he would not also be released by the state government but he may face transfer like Mr Mishra. According to sources, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) sent a letter seeking the two civil servants’ release within three days for their central deputation after getting its report on the President's protocol breach from state chief secretary Nandini Chakravorty.
Though the exact reason behind the requisition of their release has not been known from the communication, sources indicated that the motive was apparently linked to their present posting area where the protocol breach of the President happened on March 7. Sources revealed that the CM decided to turn down the MHA’s move in view of the upcoming polls.
