Many transfers in poll-bound state

The Election Commission (EC) on Friday ordered transfer of several bureaucrats in poll-bound Bihar, including the state’s home secretary, many district magistrates and senior police officers.

The EC asked the state government to appoint Sudhir Kumar Rakesh, an IAS officer of the 1983 batch, as the new home secretary of the state, replacing Amir Subhani.

Subhani has also been stripped off his other portfolio, the General Administration Department. The EC left it to the government to assign it to any other secretary-rank official.

The EC on Wednesday announced the schedule of the five-phase assembly polls in Bihar that will take off next month. The poll panel also ordered appointment of new district magistrates in Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga, Kaimur, Purnea, Madhubani, Katihar, Lakhisarai and Supaul.

Pratima S Verma, who last week was removed as Patna DM, has been reinstated. Similarly, Vikas Vaibhav, who was removed as Senior SP (SSP) of Patna and made Purnia SP last week, has been reinstated. Sanjay Agarwal, who had replaced Pratima S Verma as Patna DM, has been sent to Gaya.

Besides, the EC ordered appointment of new superintendents of police in Patna (rural), Supaul, Purnea, Nawada and Lakhisarai districts. Though the ruling party refrained from commenting on the EC decision, the removal of Amir Subhani as Bihar’s Home Secretary is perceived to be a setback for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.