New Delhi, Mar 18 (The Street Press India) – In order to ensure fairness in the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission made some important decisions on Monday. They asked the home secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand to step down from their roles. Additionally, West Bengal’s DGP Rajeev Kumar was also directed to be moved. Moreover, the Election Commission also removed the secretaries of the general administrative departments of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh.
The Election Commission’s decision to transfer the West Bengal DGP was influenced by previous instances where the officer was relieved of election-related responsibilities during the 2016 state assembly election and the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Election Commission has instructed the state chief secretary to assign Rajeev Kumar to a non-election-related role. Additionally, as a temporary measure, they have advised appointing an officer who is junior to him as the interim DGP.
The state has been requested to provide a list of three officers for consideration as the new DGP.
Regarding the removal of the home secretaries from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, it was discovered that they were holding dual roles in the offices of the respective chief ministers. This situation could potentially undermine the impartiality and neutrality necessary during the electoral process, particularly concerning law and order and the deployment of forces.
The Election Commission typically takes such actions during parliamentary and assembly polls when there are concerns about conflict of interest or the potential for officials to disrupt a fair electoral environment.
Before elections, the EC consistently advises states to transfer officers involved in election-related duties who have served three years or are stationed in their home districts. If states fail to transfer such officers, the EC mandates their removal.
Just days after unveiling the Lok Sabha election schedule, the Election Commission, led by CEC Rajiv Kumar, took action by removing Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, along with additional commissioners and deputy commissioners.
Maharashtra had not followed the directive to transfer certain municipal commissioners, additional commissioners, and deputy municipal commissioners as requested.
Expressing dissatisfaction to the state chief secretary, the commission ordered the transfer of BMC officials, along with additional and deputy commissioners, with a deadline to report by 6 pm on Monday.
In addition, the chief secretary was instructed to transfer all similarly positioned municipal commissioners, as well as additional or deputy municipal commissioners, from other corporations across Maharashtra.
This decision follows a meeting of the commission, which included CEC Kumar and fellow ECs Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, held on Monday.
The 18th Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to commence on April 19, with successive phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. Vote counting will occur on June 4.
Additionally, assembly elections are underway in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. Counting of votes for the Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim assembly elections is slated for June 2.
