Only a few days left for Mizoram election, its chief election officer (CEO)SB Shashank, who faced massive protest has been replaced with IAS officer Ashish Kundra.
Ashish Kundra is an a1996 batch officer, was posted as the Commissioner (General Administration Department), Higher and Technical Education in Mizoram. His appointment comes after the poll panel asked the state government to forwarded names after it decided to find an alternative to Mizoram CEO Shashank.
The crisis in poll-bound state Mizoram stems from Shashank alleging interference by the state government in preparations for the polls, which is slated to hold on November 28. He wrote to the Election Commission of India in the last week of October, mentioning an “active role” played by the state Home Department in this interference.
Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh stating that the people of the state had completely lost confidence on the CEO Shashank.
Thousands of Mizoram residents had protested before Shashank’s office in Aizawl on November 6 and November 7 demanding his removal.
“The only solution for smooth conduct of Assembly polls now would be removal of the CEO from his office forthwith. There is no threat whatsoever to the Brus for casting their votes in Mizoram,” he stated in his letter, according to a report by Economic Times.
Less than a week after receiving the letter, the poll panel issued orders to the state government to remove Lalnunmawia Chuaungo with immediate effect. Chuango’s removal led to demands for Shashank’s removal as the CEO.
Also read: Mizoram Assembly elections: CM Lal Thanhawla seeks Chief Electoral Officer removal