On the eve of the third phase of West Bengal assembly elections, the Election Commisssion on Wednesday withdrew two of its observers from an assembly constituency, where ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) heavyweight and Transport Minister Subash Chakrabarty is in fray, and ordered the transfer of a policeman in charge of a police station in Kolkata.

At a hurriedly called press conference Deputy Election Commissioner Anand Kumar said the EC had received complaints against Expenditure Observer H Bheemashankar and EC Observer for Belgachia (East) constituency D C Sahu.

"We received the complaints, considered them, made preliminary investigation and decided to withdraw them," Kumar said. Bheemashankar and Sahu were withdrawn following written complaints by the West Bengal CPI(M) secretary Biman Bose to Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon alleging violation of the election code by the two Observers.

He said in place of the two Observers EC would depute three IAS officers and three EC officers to monitor the election process on Thursday. The three IAS officers are Anil Panth, Ahmed Nadim and Ashok Shivari besides EC officers Lalit Mohan, A Chakraborty and K M Dhar.

The EC also transferred the Inspector in charge of Amherst Street police station of Kolkata Alok Kumar Ghosh for dereliction of duty.

There have been frequent run-ins between Chakraborty and the EC in the run-up to the elections, to the extent that Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya has had to speak to Chakraborty to tone down.

Belgachia East goes to the hustings Thursday.

Complete coverage: West Bengal Assembly elections

With PTI inputs