Malda ADM yet to be appointed

Statesman News Service

MALDA, Feb. 13: The Malda district magistrate, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, has still not selected an additional district magistrate (general) to be appointed as returning officer for north Malda Lok Sabha constituency.

The process of appointing Malda's returning officer for the upcoming elections appears to have been derailed by the unwanted transfer of the present ADM (general), Mr PC Sit, to the post of CEO (chief executive officer) of the Burdwan Development Authorities. Malda DM Mr Ghosh must now choose a new ADM (general) to help conduct the Lok Sabha elections, following the Election Commission guidelines.

Mr Sit is to hand over the charge of Malda ADM (general) on 20 February and leave for his new post as CEO of the BDA. The Burdwan district magistrate, Mr Manish Jain, has already approached Mr Sit for help in dealing with election work there. Industries minister and chairman of the BDA, Mr Nirupam Sen, is also behind the move.

The transfer came despite several pleas for a stay order from the Malda CPI-M district secretary, Mr Jiban Moitra. The Malda CPI-M had wanted to retain Mr Sit here until after the Lok Sabha elections.

The Malda DM, Mr Sridhar Ghosh, has raised objections to Mr Sit's appointed replacement, Mr Kajal Banerjee. He said that Mr Banerjee is unsuitable for dealing with important departments such as the excise and treasury, citing complaints concerning the new ADM's ‘indecent activities'.

Mr Banerjee's history certainly seems a shady one. He had previously occupied a post in Hooghly for only three months before he was transferred to Murshidabad following several complaints against him. Mr Banerjee had only lasted four months at Murshidabad before being moved on once more, this time to the post of Malda ADM.

Malda DM Mr Ghosh had attempted to overcome the crisis by requesting that the government appoint Mr Balai Chand Bandyopadhyay as ADM in his office from Malda zilla parishad (MZP), while Mr Kajal Banerjee would work as ADM in MZP itself. At present, Mr Bandyopadhyay is working as the ADM and additional executive officer (AEO) of MZP. The government has approved the Malda DM's proposals for the transfer of the two ADMs within the district. However, Mr Ghosh is still facing difficulties in deciding which ADM will become ADM (general) out of the three contendors: Mr Banerjee, Mr Bandyopadhyay and ADM (development) Ms Indrani Saha.

The situation has been further complicated by Murshidabad DM Mr Pervez Siddique initiating an inquiry order against Mr Balai Chand Bandyopadhyay for occupying two service quarters in Malda and Murshidabad. His family members allegedly still defy the law by living at Ganga Housing Estate.

Mr Jiban Moitra, the district secretary of the CPI-M, asked: “How can an officer violating government rules be appointed as the returning officer and entrusted to conduct elections following Election Commission guidelines?”

Meanwhile, Malda CPI-M leaders are attempting to push in another figure in the fray. They are backing Mr AK Ghosh, former OC election in Malda, as a Malda ADM.

“The problems will soon be resolved. An acceptable Malda ADM will be chosen soon for the role of returning officer for north Malda Lok Sabha constituency,” said Mr Sridhar Ghosh. (END)