The Election Commission of India on Monday, March 18, ordered the removal of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and additional commissioners and deputy commissioners of the Mumbai civic body.
The Maharashtra government had requested the Election Commission to exempt transfers of BMC commissioner Chahal and other officers, citing their crucial role in the upcoming monsoon season.
However, the apex polling body of the country on Monday directed the Maharashtra government to transfer the officers linked to the election-related work, who have completed three years or are in their home districts.
According to reports, Maharashtra had not complied with the directions in respect of a few Municipal Commissioners and some Additional or Deputy Municipal Commissioners in the state.
While conveying displeasure to the Chief Secretary of the state, the Election Commission directed the transfer of the BMC commissioner and the additional or Deputy commissioners with the direction to report by 6 pm on Monday.
ALSO READ: Election Commission orders removal of West Bengal police chief, Gujarat and UP home secretaries
The Chief Secretary was further directed to transfer all the similarly placed Municipal Commissioners and Additional or Deputy Municipal Commissioners of other Corporations in Maharashtra.
The ECI, in the meanwhile, issued orders for the removal of Home Secretaries in six states viz Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Additionally, the Secretary of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh have also been removed.
Among others, the EC also ordered the removal of the Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal. The decision was taken due to the DGP being removed from any active election management-related duty earlier, during the 2016 Assembly Election in the state and the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections.
The following actions arrived two days after the EC announced the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections, beginning on 19 April and concluding on 1 June.
The Commission meeting was chaired by Rajiv Kumar, comprising Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu on Monday at noon.
With agency inputs.
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Published: 18 Mar 2024, 02:33 PM IST