‘Partisan Conduct’: Plea Filed In SC For Removal Of IPS Ajay Pal Sharma From Bengal Poll Duty

The petitioner has sought directions to safeguard the fairness of the ongoing electoral process in West Bengal.

A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court of India seeking the immediate removal of Ajay Pal Sharma. (Photo: PTI)

In a fresh twist to the high stakes electoral contest in West Bengal, a Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the immediate removal of Uttar Pradesh’s ‘Singham’ IPS Ajay Pal Sharma from his role as Police Observer for the state assembly elections.

The writ petition (civil), e-filed late on Tuesday night under Diary No. EC-SCIN01-21815-2026, invokes Article 32 of the Constitution, which empowers citizens to approach the apex court directly for the enforcement of fundamental rights. The petitioner has argued that the right to a free and fair election is under threat due to Sharma’s continued presence in the sensitive poll-bound region.

The PIL claims that Sharma is “highly partisan” and “acts contrary to the role prescribed to him.”

Sharma, popularly known as the “Singham of UP” for his record as an encounter specialist, has been accused in the plea of abandoning the neutrality expected of an Election Commission of India (ECI) observer. Since taking charge in South 24 Parganas, he is alleged to have engaged in “acts of intimidation” and “undue influence,” specifically targeting political candidates.

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According to the petition, such actions have “vitiated the electoral environment” and undermined public confidence in the fairness of the 2026 Assembly Elections in West Bengal. The plea claims that the level playing field, which is essential during elections, has been compromised by what it describes as instances of intimidation, undue influence and bias.

The petitioner contends that observers, appointed under provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, are mandated to independently monitor the electoral process and ensure adherence to democratic norms. Any deviation from this neutral role, the plea argues, weakens public faith in the electoral system and defeats the very purpose of deploying observers as constitutional functionaries.

Urging the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the matter, the petitioner has sought directions to safeguard the fairness of the ongoing electoral process in West Bengal.

Second Phase Of Polling Today

Campaigning for the second and final phase of the assembly elections in the state has concluded. A total of 142 constituencies are scheduled to go to the polls in the second phase on April 29.

The first phase witnessed a massive voter turnout of 93.2%, a record-breaking figure that has prompted both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to claim a decisive edge.

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