By Arun Pratap Singh
Dehradun, 18 Mar: Election Commission of India has ordered transfers of Home Secretaries in several states including Uttarakhand and, in some states, also of Director Generals of Police. The Election Commission today ordered removal of senior IAS officer Shailesh Bagoli as Home Secretary. The decision has been ostensibly taken in view of the fact that Shailesh Bagoli is also holding charge as Secretary to CM. The Secretary to the Chief Minister or the Principal Secretary cannot hold any post in any general election which is directly related to the election process.
Bagoli’s transfer out has been taken to ensure a level playing field and fair conduct of Parliamentary Elections in the state.
Uttarakhand is one of 6 such states where the Home Secretaries have been removed by the Election Commission today. These states include Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh. In some states, the Election Commission has also ordered removal of the Director General of Police, again to ensure a level playing field.
It is the responsibility of the Home Department to ensure maintenance of security and law & order in the state. This responsibility assumes even greater significance during the elections. Bagoli will have to be soon replaced by some other senior IAS officer of at least Secretary level. However, now that the Model Code of Conduct is in force, the state will be required to submit a panel of suitable names of senior IAS officers of Uttarakhand Cadre to the Election Commission, which will finalise who will be taking charge as Secretary Home.
Sources claimed that the government has already initiated the process of finalising a panel of names to be submitted to the Election Commission of India as this is a crucial responsibility and the post can’t be left vacant for long, particularly in view of the elections.
Joint Chief Electoral Officer Namami Bansal said that the Election Commission of India has issued an order to change the Home Secretary. She confirmed that during the enforcement period of Model Code of Conduct, a panel is formed at the state level which suggests the names. She added that the Election Commission will decide the name of the new Home Secretary. Namami Bansal was today responding to the questions of the media persons during the press briefing by the state election office.
