Election Commission removes Home Secretaries of 6 States, Bengal DGP ahead of Lok Sabha polls

Mangalore Today News Network

New delhi, March 18, 2024: Ahead of the Lok Sabha election scheduled to begin on April 19, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued orders for the removal of the Home Secretary in six states, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, official sources said.

Additionally, the secretaries of the General Administrative Departments (GADs) in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been removed.

While poll panel officials did not immediately mention any reason behind the big move, sources said the changes had been made to “ensure level playing fields” and “to maintain the integrity of the poll process”.

The commission has directed all the state governments to transfer the officers connected with election-related work, who have completed three years or are in their home districts.

This step comes as part of the poll body’s resolve and commitment to maintaining a level playing field and ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, which has been emphasised by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar time and again and recently during the press conference for the announcement of the schedule for General Elections 2024.

Kumar had added that the aim was to enhance citizen participation and reduce violence in the elections. He identified 4Ms (muscle, money, misinformation, and Model Code of Conduct violations) as primary challenges before the commission.

According to news agency ANI, as Maharashtra had not complied with the directions in respect of a few civic body chiefs and some additional and deputy municipal commissioners in Maharashtra, the commission directed the transfer of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and the additional and deputy commissioners with the direction to report by 6 pm on Monday.

The commission conveyed displeasure to the chief secretary about the matter, too.

The chief secretary was further directed to transfer all the similarly placed municipal commissioners and additional and deputy municipal commissioners of other corporations in Maharashtra.

The Commission meeting chaired by Shri Rajiv Kumar, comprising Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu was held on Monday at noon.

The officials who have been removed in these seven states were found to be holding dual charges in the office of Chief Minister in respective states which may potentially compromise or be seen to be compromising the impartiality and neutrality required during the electoral process, especially in matters relating to law and order, deployment of forces, etc.

Furthermore, the Election Commission has also taken the necessary action to remove the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal. This decision was taken due to the DGP being removed from any active election management-related duty earlier, during the 2016 assembly election in the state and the 2019 Lok Sabha Election.

 

Courtesy: News18