Similarly, police oversight was revamped, with SDPO Barh-1 Rakesh Kumar and SDPO Barh-2 Abhishek Singh transferred out.
File Photo: IANS
In a stern response to escalating pre-poll violence, the Election Commission of India Saturday ordered a major administrative overhaul in the high-stakes Mokama Assembly constituency in Bihar, following the murder of a Jan Suraaj supporter during the ongoing campaign.
The Election Commission’s order saw Barh Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO)-cum-Returning Officer for Mokama, Chandan Kumar, replaced by IAS officer Ashish Kumar, who currently serves as Additional Municipal Commissioner, Patna Municipal Corporation.
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Similarly, police oversight was revamped, with SDPO Barh-1 Rakesh Kumar and SDPO Barh-2 Abhishek Singh transferred out. They have been substituted by Anand Kumar Singh and Ayush Shrivastava, both from the 2022 RR batch. The poll body also initiated disciplinary proceedings against the three outgoing officers, signaling a zero-tolerance stance on lapses in maintaining order.
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The ECI’s directive resulted in the immediate transfer of three key administrative and police officials, alongside the earlier suspension of two Station House Officers directly linked to the investigation.
Furthermore, the ECI targeted a higher-ranking official, recommending the transfer of Patna (Rural) SP Vikram Sihag and requesting a panel of substitute officers. The Commission has sought a full compliance report on all transfers by November 2.
The administrative shake-up comes in the wake of the October 30 incident, where Dularchand Yadav, a supporter of the Jan Suraaj party, was killed during a firing between rival groups while campaigning in the notoriously volatile Mokama constituency. The killing has triggered sharp reactions from political parties. Mokama is set for a fierce contest in the first phase of voting on November 6, featuring JD(U)’s Anant Singh against RJD’s Veena Devi, wife of former MP Surajbhan Singh.
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