 "Election Commission")
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered the removal of home secretaries in six states, namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand on Monday. Additionally, the ECI has removed the director general of police (DGP) of West Bengal due to prior removal from active election management duties during the 2016 Assembly Election and 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
Additionally, the secretaries of the general administrative department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been relieved of their duties.
The commission has instructed all state governments to transfer officers involved in election-related activities who have served three years or are stationed in their home districts.
However, Maharashtra failed to comply fully with the directive regarding municipal commissioners and some additional/deputy municipal commissioners. Expressing displeasure, the Commission ordered the transfer of officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and additional/deputy commissioners, with a deadline of 6 pm today.
The chief secretary was further instructed to transfer similarly placed municipal commissioners and additional/deputy municipal commissioners in other corporations in Maharashtra.
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This move is part of the commission's commitment to maintaining a level playing field and safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process, a stance reiterated by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar during the recent press conference announcing the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Saturday.
The decision was made during a commission meeting chaired by Rajiv Kumar, with recently-appointed Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu also present.
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Officials in these states were found to be holding dual charges in the offices of chief ministers, which could potentially compromise impartiality and neutrality, particularly in matters relating to law and order and deployment of forces during elections.
The Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4. The current government's term is set to end on June 16.
(With agency inputs)
