A legal battle over the Election Commission's decision to appoint senior Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma as election observer for the ongoing West Bengal Assembly polls has reached the Supreme Court.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL), filed by Aditya Das, alleges the officer's conduct is "highly partisan" and violates the Constitutional mandate for neutral oversight.
The petition cites Section 20B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, arguing that the IPS officer's role is to be a "neutral institutional safeguard" to reinforce public confidence. "The conduct of Ajay Pal Sharma stands in stark violation of the functions of the observer," the petitioner contended, seeking a court order to set aside his appointment and ensure the independence of poll observers.
Who is Ajay Pal Sharma?
A 2011 batch officer, who began his career as a dentist, Sharma has earned the moniker of 'Singham' and a reputation as an "encounter specialist" for his tough stance on criminals in UP, as per NDTV. Currently Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prayagraj, he has been assigned the sensitive South 24 Parganas district, a region considered a stronghold of Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, Abhishek Banerjee.
The Controversy
The controversy gained momentum after the BJP's West Bengal unit reportedly praised the officer on social media, referring to him as an "encounter specialist" and the "Singham of UP Police." The post claimed Sharma, deployed in the South 24 Parganas district, had "read the riot act" to the family members of a Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidate.
Videos have since surfaced on social media appearing to show the officer issuing stern warnings, prompting a sharp reaction from the ruling TMC.
Ajay Pal Sharma, the encounter specialist and Singham of UP police, is deployed as police observer of South 24 Parganas. He just read the riot act to Bhaipo's henchman Jehangir Khan's family members.
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) April 27, 2026
Nobody can stop this election from being the most free and fair election in 50… pic.twitter.com/p3WOLLXL6d
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