EC orders transfer of Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla

Election Commission seeks transfer of Maharashtra DGP Rashmi Shukla amid allegations of bias and political violence.

The Election Commission of India has written to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary, for the immediate transfer of DGP Rashmi Shukla, and for handing over the charge to the seniormost IPS official.

The poll body has sought the names of three seniormost police officials to be shortlisted as the next DGP.

On Thursday (October 31, 2024), Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole wrote to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, requesting the removal of Ms. Shukla from her position accusing her of displaying a “clear bias” against opposition parties in the State, including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP(SP).

Mr. Patole alleged that in the past 20 days, Maharashtra has witnessed numerous incidents of political violence targeting opposition leaders, with cases reportedly escalating.

Ms. Shukla, the first woman DGP of Maharashtra, had earlier courted controversy after being accused of secretly tapping the phones of leaders of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, including Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut, Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Eknath Khadse during the BJP-Shiv Sena government when she was the Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID). After the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA came to power in late 2019, three FIRs were lodged, which were subsequently quashed.

Maharashtra will go to the polls on November 20, with results being announced on November 23.