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New Delhi: After the announcement of Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission on Monday ordered the removal of Home Secretaries of six states including Gujarat and DGP of West Bengal. The Election Commission said that to conduct fair elections, the Home Secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand as well as West Bengal DGP Rajiv Kumar should be removed. IPS officer Vivek Sahay has been appointed the new DGP of Bengal in place of Rajiv Kumar. The Election Commission has also removed the general administrative departments (GAD) secretaries of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh.
The Election Commission has removed West Bengal DGP Rajiv Kumar with immediate effect, within 48 hours of the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct across the country. The Election Commission had sought names of three officers by Monday evening for the appointment of the new DGP in place of the DGP who was appointed just 3 months ago. Ultimately the Election Commission appointed 1988 batch IPS officer Vivek Sahay to the post of DGP. He was previously posted as Director General and Commandant General (Home Guard).
Rajiv Kumar was appointed DGP of Bengal in December last year. Under the interim arrangement, he has now been transferred to the Information and Broadcasting Department. According to sources, Rajiv Kumar was earlier removed from election-related duties during the assembly elections in 2016 and Lok Sabha elections in 2019. This time he has been kept away from election related duties.
The Election Commission has also removed the Home Secretaries of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. These officers have been removed as they are also holding dual charges in the offices of the Chief Ministers in the respective states. The Election Commission said that it is necessary to remove them to maintain fair electoral process in the states, especially to maintain law and order.
The Election Commission said that such action is common when there is conflict of interest during Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. Before the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission always asks states to transfer officials engaged in election-related work, including those posted at the same place for more than three years or posted in their home districts.
The Election Commission also ordered the transfer of BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and additional commissioners and deputy commissioners. But the Maharashtra government had objected to the transfer of some Municipal Corporation Commissioners and Deputy Municipal Commissioners and did not implement the Election Commission's instructions. The Election Commission ordered the transfer of BMC commissioners and other additional and deputy commissioners before Monday evening after the state chief secretary raised the government's objection to the transfer of officials. The Chief Secretary was also ordered to transfer municipal commissioners and additional or deputy municipal commissioners to other posts in Maharashtra.