New Delhi, April 17 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a petition questioning the Election Commission of India's (ECI) power to transfer out officials from West Bengal ahead of the assembly elections in the state, observing that the poll panel should not be constrained from taking any "drastic" measure to ensure free and fair elections. Turning down a petition filed by Arka Kumar Nag, a lawyer, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said that the petition does raise a "substantial" question of law on whether the ECI should consult the state without acting unilaterally, to be dealt with in an appropriate case. "Though the petition has raised substantial questions of law which might require consideration,...