With an aim to ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal, the Election Commission (EC) on Sunday removed 83 block development officers (BDOs), who were serving as assistant returning officers (AROs), across different districts in the state, just 4 weeks ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in the state.The EC has directed the state Chief Secretary to implement the transfer. It took this step following a proposal by West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal, who sought the transfer and reposting of BDOs and AROs across districts in north and south Bengal.Notably, two of the transferred officials were posted under the Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore, where Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari has been re-nominated by the party.The commission had previously transferred several senior bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and Home Secretary JP Meena, along with Director General of Police Peeyush Pandey and the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata.On Saturday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had defended the large-scale transfer of IAS and IPS officers in West Bengal by the Election Commission. He alleged that several officials in the state were functioning as “cadres” of the ruling Trinamool Congress and were unable to work independently.The state is set to see a two-phase election for 294 Assembly constituencies on April 23 and 29.