The Election Commission has ordered the transfer of the former Director General of Police, DGP Rashmi Shukla, in the wake of the Congress party’s complaint against alleged phone tapping.
It has asked the state chief secretary to send a list of three IPS officers by November 5 to appoint the new DGP. Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole had filed a formal application before Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on October 31, demanding the removal of Shukla from the post. Patole had alleged that she showed “clear bias” against opposition parties in the state, especially against the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP).
Patole said the letter mentioned that illegal phone tapping of opposition leaders during her postings as Commissioner of Police in Pune and Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department SID was part of Shukla’s track record. Recent incidents of political violence against opposition leaders had been growing in the state, he told them.
Patole also referred to the immediate ouster of Jharkhand’s DGP after the MCC was implemented and asked why Maharashtra’s DGP was not ousted similarly. While announcing the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said,
“There is a need not only to be impartial and fair but also to be seen as performing duties.”.
