New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the transfer of Home Secretaries in six states - Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, just ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on Monday. 

The  Election Commission has also ordered removal of Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal, Rajeev Kumar, IPS. Kumar has been in controversy for a long time. Just before the 2016 Assembly polls, when he was the Kolkata police chief, opposition leaders alleged that Kumar was tapping their phones. He was removed as commissioner of police in Kolkata ahead of the 2016 Assembly elections. 

In an order to the Chief Secretary, West Bengal, BP Gopalika, the Election Commission said, “Shri Rajeev Kumar, IPS, Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal, be shifted to a non-election-related post with immediate effect. The charge of Shri Rajeev Kumar, IPS, be given to the next senior officer in the Police Headquarters until the posting of a new Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal. A panel of three eligible officers for posting as Director General & Inspector General of Police, West Bengal, will be sent to the Commission by 5.00 pm today.”

Responding to the dismissal of Bengal's chief police officer, the ruling Trinamool Congress criticised the opposition government for its attempts to exert influence over various organizations, including the  Election Commission  .

Alongside these moves, The Election Commission on Monday announced the removal of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Iqbal Singh Chahal. Conveying its displeasure to Chahal on non-adherence of its previous orders of transferring officials, the Election Commission  directed him to report by 6 pm on Monday. The Election Commission also directed the chief secretary to transfer all the similarly placed municipal commissioners and additional or deputy municipal commissioners of other corporations in Maharashtra.

Furthermore, the Secretaries of GAD in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh, serving in their respective Chief Minister's Offices, have also been relieved of their duties.

The 18th Lok Sabha elections, involving 543 seats, are scheduled to take place in seven phases starting from April 19, with the results to be announced on June 4, as declared by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in a press briefing on March 16. /BI