The top bureaucrats from Gujarat, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh are among the six Home Secretaries whose removal was ordered by the Election Commission on Monday afternoon.
The most controversial out of these has been the removal of Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar. Under the Bengal Director-General of Police, the state witnessed multiple incidents of violence related to elections in recent years. The new Bengal DGP is Vivek Sahay, formerly the Home Guards’ commandant and director general.

Along with senior officials connected to the offices of the chief ministers of Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh, the reshuffle, which is customary for the Election Commission prior to significant elections, included the transfer of the home secretaries of Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

Furthermore, the removal of Iqbal Singh Chahal, the Commissioner of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, and other officials from various Maharashtran municipalities was also ordered.

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be held in about a month’s time from now. The ECI announced on Saturday that voting will take place in seven phases starting on April 19 and ending on June 1.