By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 19 Mar: Senior IAS Officer Dilip Jawalkar will be the new Home Secretary of Uttarakhand. Sources in the government have confirmed that the Election Commission of India has approved Jawalkar’s name from the panel of three submitted to it by the Uttarakhand Government.
It may be recalled that Home Secretary Shailesh Bagoli was removed from this charge on the direction of the Election Commission of India. Presently, Dilip Jawalkar is the Secretary, Finance.
Bagoli was ordered to be shifted out from the Home Department because he also is Secretary to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. His transfer was ordered by the Election Commission to ensure free and fair conduct of the Lok Sabha elections.
Once, Bagoli was shifted out from the Home Department, a panel of three names was submitted by the state government before the Election Commission which has decided that Dilip Jawalkar should be given the charge. It may be recalled that, while the Model Code of Conduct is in force, the Election Commission is authorised to transfer and post officers on sensitive posts that have a role to play in the conduct of elections. This includes also the district magistrates who also hold responsibility as District Election Officers on behalf of the Election Commission.
Shailesh Bagoli was holding the responsibility of Secretary, Home as well as Prisons, and Secretary to the Chief Minister.
