ECI Tightens Security: New Appointments and Crackdowns Ahead of Jharkhand Elections

The Election Commission of India has confirmed changes in key positions within Jharkhand's administration, appointing Alka Tiwari as Chief Secretary. Amid upcoming assembly elections, the ECI removed Anurag Gupta from his role citing past complaints. Security measures are heightened to curb election-related misconduct.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has greenlit the Jharkhand government's proposal to appoint Alka Tiwari as the state's Chief Secretary. Tiwari, a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1988 batch, steps into the role as the highest-ranking officer in Jharkhand's IAS cadre.

Previously, the Commission had approved a five-month extension for Lalbiaktluanga Khiangte, Jharkhand's former Chief Secretary. The state's assembly elections, scheduled in two phases on November 13 and November 20, have their vote counting set for November 23.

On October 19, the ECI instructed that Anurag Gupta be relieved as Jharkhand's Acting Director General of Police (DGP), ordering the position be handed to the senior-most available officer. This comes after a history of grievances against Gupta, notably one probing biased behavior during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as alleged by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party.

On a related note, the ECI conducted a review meeting on October 29 with top officials from Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and neighboring states. The talks, aimed at addressing potential election-related security issues, highlighted concerns over politically motivated crimes possibly skewing the electoral integrity. The Commission issued stringent directives to prevent inducements such as cash, liquor, narcotics, and precious metals from influencing the elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)