Gyanesh Kumar chaired a high-level review meeting ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, which took a dramatic turn after a heated exchange with senior IAS officer Anurag Yadav.
Following the confrontation, Yadav was removed from his role as election observer with immediate effect.
⚖️ What Happened in the Meeting?
The incident took place during a virtual review meeting conducted by the Election Commission.
- Anurag Yadav was serving as observer in Cooch Behar South constituency
- He objected to remarks made by the CEC
- The situation escalated into a heated argument
👉 Sources claim Yadav responded strongly, saying:
“You cannot speak to us like this.”
🗣️ Clash Turns Serious
According to reports:
- CEC asked the officer to step down
- Yadav defended his experience of 25+ years in service
- The argument created a tense atmosphere in the meeting
After this, the Election Commission decided to remove him immediately.
📉 Reason Behind Removal
While the argument grabbed attention, officials clarified:
👉 The removal was due to professional shortcomings, not just behavior
- Yadav reportedly failed to answer basic questions
- Could not clearly state number of polling booths
- Showed lack of preparedness on ground-level data
Officials stressed that an observer acts as the “eyes and ears” of the Election Commission.
🗳️ Election Preparations in Focus
The meeting also reviewed:
- Sensitive polling stations in West Bengal
- Deployment of officials across districts
- Ensuring minimum facilities at polling booths
Steps like appointing nodal officers for each district were also discussed.
🏁 Final Take
👉 High-level meeting turned into controversy
👉 Senior IAS officer removed instantly
👉 Raises concerns over election preparedness & discipline
