In a bid to ensure fair elections, the EC directs the transfer of key officials from several states, citing concerns of impartiality and level-playing field
Election Commission ordered transfers ahead of Lok Sabha polls
Seeking to ensure a level-playing field in the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission on Monday ordered the removal of the home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and it also directed the shunting out of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar.
Also, the secretary of the general administrative departments of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have been removed.
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The decision to shift the West Bengal DGP was taken as the officer was removed earlier too from active election management-related duty during the 2016 assembly election in the state and in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the sources pointed out.
The EC has asked the state chief secretary to post Rajeev Kumar to a “non-election” related assignment, and, as an interim arrangement, post an officer immediately junior to him as DGP.
The state has been asked to send a panel of three officers who would be posted as the DGP.
The home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were removed as they were found to be holding dual charges in the offices of the chief minister in the respective states. This 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 and deployment of forces, they noted.
The poll panel usually takes such action during the parliamentary and the assembly polls when an issue of conflict of interest or possibility of such officials disturbing a level-playing field for all comes up.
Glaring example of BJP’s control over EC: TMC
Criticising the removal of West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar, the Trinamool Congress claimed it was a glaring example of BJP’s “control” over the EC. Addressing a press conference, TMC general secretary Kunal Ghosh claimed that BJP was gripped by the fear of losing the Lok Sabha seats in the state. Seeking to ensure a level playing field in the Lok Sabha elections, the EC ordered the removal of home secretaries of six states and West Bengal’s director general of police (DGP), besides the secretary of the general administrative departments of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh.
“The BJP is trying to misuse all institutions, including the Election Commission. They are even meddling with the appointment of the election commissioners by changing the recruitment panel. The step taken today is a glaring example of the BJP’s control over the EC,” Ghosh said.
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