Ashish Kundra named new Mizoram chief electoral officer

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Thursday named Ashish Kundra, an AGMUT cadre IAS officer from 1996 batch, as the new chief electoral officer (CEO) of Mizoram.

Kundra replaces SB Shashank, whose removal was being demanded by Mizoram civil society groups after the state’s principal secretary was transferred over alleged interference in electoral process, based on a report submitted to EC by CEO’s office. Shashank’s efforts to facilitate voting by Bru tribals in Tripura rather than in Mizoram had also riled the Mizo groups.

Even the political establishment, including chief minister Lal Thanhawla as well as BJP were opposing Shashank. Lal Thanhawla had written to the Prime Minister seeking removal of Shashank as “people (of Mizoram) have lost faith in him”.

In an order issued on Thursday, the EC said it was invoking its powers under sub-section (1) of Section 13A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, to appoint Khurana as the CEO with immediate effect, in consultation with the Mizoram government. It added that Khurana would not hold any additional charge under Mizoram government except as secretary in charge of election department in the state secretariat.

In a separate order, EC said Shashank was being attached with the Election Commission of India with mediate effect and until further orders.
EC, which had last week sent a team led by deputy election commissioner Sudeep Jain to Aizawl to hold talks with protesting Mizoram NGO coordination committee, chose Kundra from a panel of five names recommended by the State government.

Mizoram is due to go to polls on November 28.

EC has now granted the two main demands placed before it by the Mizo outfits: CEO’s replacement and making arrangements for displaced Bru tribals to vote in Mizoram itself.