Having agreed to remove Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) SB Shashank following demand for his ouster by a conglomerate of civil society and students’ organisations, the Election Commission of India is expected to find the replacement from the likes of senior Mizo IAS officers.
The Commission is being reported to have sought the help of Mizoram chief secretary, who according to government sources in Mizoram has named three senior IAS officers from Mizoram.
Lalhmingthanga, H Lalengmawia and K Lalthawmmawia are the three names on the radar.
High ranking official from the Mizoram Election department on condition of anonymity said that the senior most among the three Lalhmingthanga is likely to be appointed the new CEO.
CEO SB Shashank had reportedly sought deployment of additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the state and complained to the EC that the state’s former Principal Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo was “interfering with the poll process”.
Chuaungo, a native of Mizoram and a Gujarat-cadre IAS officer was relieved of his duties earlier this month. The NGO Coordination Committee – a conglomerate of civil societies and student organisations – along with other political leaders, had been demanding Shashank’s exit from the state since then.