The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Tuesdaycriticized the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) December 6 order directing the government to remove IAS officer Manjunath Bhajantri from his post as Deoghar deputy commissioner-cum district election officer with immediate effect and initiate disciplinary proceedings against him.
Terming the ECI as an ‘extended commission of interference’ of the Union government’, JMM principal general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said, “ECI has now also become an extended arm of the BJP after the CBI, ED, and Income Tax. The role of the ECI is very clear, it takes all decisions related to even civil and police administration whenever model code is in place during elections and bye-elections. But will the ECI now even decide who would be a DC or a secretary. Then what would be the role of an elected government in a democracy? We oppose this order and request the ECI not to come up with such directions in future.”
The ECI order comes based on a complaint filed by BJP Lok Sabha member from Godda, Nishikant Dubey, who alleged the Deoghar district administration of registering five cases against him in connection with Madhupur by-election with a malafide intention, the ECI has also directed the state government not to post the concerned officer as DC or any other election duty without prior permission from the commission.
“…to initiate disciplinary proceedings for a major penalty against Manjunath Bhajantri, IAS, DC-cum-CEO, Deoghar by issuing charge memo to him within 15 days from receipt of this order, under intimation to the Commission, and further directs that Manjunath Bhajantri, IAS, be removed from the post of DC-cum-DEO, immediately, and should not be posted as DC/DEO or any other election duty without prior permission from the Commission,” reads the order issued by Rahul Sharma, principal secretary, ECI.
{{/usCountry}}“…to initiate disciplinary proceedings for a major penalty against Manjunath Bhajantri, IAS, DC-cum-CEO, Deoghar by issuing charge memo to him within 15 days from receipt of this order, under intimation to the Commission, and further directs that Manjunath Bhajantri, IAS, be removed from the post of DC-cum-DEO, immediately, and should not be posted as DC/DEO or any other election duty without prior permission from the Commission,” reads the order issued by Rahul Sharma, principal secretary, ECI.
{{/usCountry}}Vinay Chowbey, principal secretary to chief minister Hemant Soren, said the government is getting the order examined. “We are getting the order legally examined. Any decision on it would be taken accordingly,” he said.
The matter pertains to five FIRS registered with five different police stations by the district administration on October 23 against Nishikant Dubey in connection with alleged model code violation during the Madhupur by-election in April. Dubey had challenged the move and approached the ECI against the DC. The ECI through the Jharkhand CEO had sought explanation from the DC, especially seeking clarification as to why the cases were registered five months after the bypoll and without giving prior information to the Commission.
Bhajantri had submitted his response defending his move, citing law points including previous court judgments. The Commission, however, rejected his defense and ordered the chief secretary on December 6 to act against the DC. The department of personnel that deals with transfers of bureaucrats is with chief minister Soren.