Bureaucrats in West Bengal say they are not surprised by what they describe as the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) ‘shock and awe’ approach. During a visit to Kolkata last week of the ECI's full bench, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar is said to have warned that officials perceived to be close to the state government would be “shown their place”.

According to some accounts, he also indicated that officers would face consequences if they were not found to be “neutral” even after the election, reminding them of the Commission’s powers to suspend and initiate disciplinary action.

Even so, the scale and speed of action caught many off guard. Within 48 hours of the Assembly elections being notified on 15 March, the ECI ordered the transfer of 33 IAS and IPS officers — far more than in other poll-bound states. Officials described it as a purge: the chief secretary, home secretary, DGP, Kolkata Police commissioner, several ADGs, along with district magistrates and police superintendents, were all moved out.

What particularly surprised many was the simultaneous issuance of posting orders for........

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