EC removes Rajeev Kumar as Bengal DGP
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 18 directed the transfer of the director general & inspector general of Police (DG&IGP) of Bengal to a non-election-related position.
The directive dispatched to the chief secretary of Bengal mandates the immediate relocation of Rajeev Kumar. It also stipulates that his responsibilities be delegated to the next senior officer at the police headquarters until the vacancy is filled.
In line with this decision, IPS officer Vivek Sahay has been appointed as the new director general of police.
This action forms part of the commission’s endeavours to create a fair electoral environment and safeguard the integrity of the electoral procedures, a point underscored by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on multiple occasions.
In addition to Bengal, the ECI has instructed the removal of several key officials in six other states, namely, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The home secretaries in these states have been called upon to resign, along with the secretaries of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh.
