THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Ranchi, March 18: On Monday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered the removal of home secretaries in six states: Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
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.
To cite an example, Arwa Rajkamal, who holds the home secretary’s charge in Jharkhand, happens to be the Secretary to Chief Minister Champai Soren.
Bengal DGP removed
Besides, the ECI has removed the director general of police (DGP) of West Bengal due to his prior removal from active election management duties during the 2016 Assembly Election and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The FCI has also relieved the secretaries of the general administrative departments in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh of their duties.
The Commission has directed all state governments to transfer officers involved in election-related activities who have served three years or are stationed in their home districts.
EC orders removal of BMC officials
However, Maharashtra needed 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/d
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.
