ECI cracks whip, removes Bengal DGP, 6 Home Secretaries

The Election Commission of India on Monday cracked its whip days after the election code of conduct came into force.

The ECI directed the state governments of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to replace the Home Secretaries of the respective states.

The ECI also ordered the removal of Director General of Police (DGP) of West Bengal police, Rajeev Kumar.

A communication on this count was sent to the office of the Chief Election Officer (CEO), West Bengal as well as the state secretariat.

The ECI has sought alternative names of three senior IPS officials as replacement of Rajeev Kumar. The proposed names should reach the headquarters of the commission at New Delhi by 5 p.m. on Monday, said an insider from the office of CEO, West Bengal.

He also said that besides removing Rajeev Kumar from the chair, the commission has also said that he cannot be involved in any election process for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Kumar was removed just within three months of his assuming the chair of the acting DGP.