India, March 16 -- The Election Commission has reshuffled police officials in poll-bound West Bengal, replacing state DGP Peeyush Pandey with Siddh Nath Gupta. The poll body has also named Ajay Kumar Nand as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner, replacing Supratim Sarkar.

The reshuffling comes just a day after the announcement of the West Bengal assembly poll schedule. The EC said the decision to remove the officers was taken following a review of the state's poll preparedness.

According to an official communication, the poll panel directed the state government to appoint Siddh Nath Gupta as Director General and Inspector General of Police (in-charge), while Natarajan Ramesh Babu has been named Director General of Correctional Services....