NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday transferred DGP Maharashtra Rashmi Shukla following Congress ' complaint accusing the top cop of being "biased" against the opposition in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
The poll body directed the chief secretary to hand over Shukla's charge to next senior most IPS officer in the cadre. The chief secretary was also directed to send a panel of the three IPS officers by Tuesday for the appointment as DGP.
This comes days after Congress wrote to EC seeking removal of the Director General of Police over alleged "bias" against the opposition in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
"Kindly refer to our previous letters dated 24th September 2024 and 4th October 2024 concerning the removal of Rashmi Shukla from the post of Director General of Police, Maharashtra. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) reiterated this request during a briefing with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on 27th September 2024," Congress state president Nana Patole said in the letter.
"This request has been repeatedly submitted through oral representations and press conferences. While the DGP of Jharkhand was removed immediately after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was enforced, DGP Maharashtra was exempted. Over the past 20 days, political violence against opposition parties has significantly escalated, with a notable deterioration in the law and order situation. She has shown a clear bias against the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP(SP), as evidenced by her previous record of illegal phone tapping of opposition leaders while serving as Commissioner of Police, Pune, and Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID)," the letter further added.
The Maharashtra Congress had also accused DGP Shukla of directing various Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to file "false cases" against opposition leaders.
Earlier during the review meetings and announcement of assembly elections in the state , chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar had warned officials to not only be impartial and fair but also perceived to be non-partisan in their conduct while carrying out their duties
The poll body directed the chief secretary to hand over Shukla's charge to next senior most IPS officer in the cadre. The chief secretary was also directed to send a panel of the three IPS officers by Tuesday for the appointment as DGP.
This comes days after Congress wrote to EC seeking removal of the Director General of Police over alleged "bias" against the opposition in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
"Kindly refer to our previous letters dated 24th September 2024 and 4th October 2024 concerning the removal of Rashmi Shukla from the post of Director General of Police, Maharashtra. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) reiterated this request during a briefing with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on 27th September 2024," Congress state president Nana Patole said in the letter.
"This request has been repeatedly submitted through oral representations and press conferences. While the DGP of Jharkhand was removed immediately after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was enforced, DGP Maharashtra was exempted. Over the past 20 days, political violence against opposition parties has significantly escalated, with a notable deterioration in the law and order situation. She has shown a clear bias against the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP(SP), as evidenced by her previous record of illegal phone tapping of opposition leaders while serving as Commissioner of Police, Pune, and Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID)," the letter further added.
The Maharashtra Congress had also accused DGP Shukla of directing various Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police to file "false cases" against opposition leaders.
Earlier during the review meetings and announcement of assembly elections in the state , chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar had warned officials to not only be impartial and fair but also perceived to be non-partisan in their conduct while carrying out their duties
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