Mizoram government proposes names of three IAS officers for CEO’s post

Aizawl, Nov. 11 (PTI): The Mizoram government has proposed the names of three IAS officers, as desired by the Election Commission (EC), for the post of a new chief electoral officer (CEO) in the state, an official said Sunday. The poll panel had asked the state government to suggest the names after it decided to replace CEO S B Shashank, who had courted controversy in the poll-bound state. The names suggested by the government were ----Lalhmingthanga, H Lalengmawia and K Lalthawmmawia -- the official said on the condition of anonymity. He also said Deputy Election Commissioner Sudeep Jain, who led the second EC team to Mizoram on Friday, had told officials that it would take two-three days to select and appoint a new CEO. Jain had also assured the NGO Coordination Committee leaders -- who were spearheading the movement against Shashank -- that the CEO would be replaced and the Bru voters housed in Tripura relief camps would exercise their franchise from Mizoram, which were the primary demands of the organisation. The EC had initiated the process of finding an alternative to the Mizoram CEO Saturday. An EC spokesperson had said in New Delhi that the poll panel had “only decided to call for a panel of names for the post of the state CEO from the chief secretary of Mizoram”. Shashank had reportedly sought deployment of additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in the north-eastern state and complained to the EC that the state’s former principal secretary, Lalnunmawia Chuaungo, was interfering in the poll process. Chuaungo, a native of Mizoram and a Gujarat-cadre IAS officer, was relieved of his duties earlier this month. Thousands of people took to the streets and picketed in front of Shashank’s office for two days since Tuesday. The protesters, under the aegis of the NGO Coordination Committee, had also set an ultimatum for Shashank to leave urgently, prompting the EC to send the first team to the state Tuesday. Shashank left Mizoram Wednesday after being summoned by the chief election commissioner in Delhi, which resulted in the withdrawal of the agitation. EC identifies 32 polling stations in Mizoram as ‘critical’ The Election Commission of India (ECI) has identified 32 polling stations in Mizoram as ‘critical’ and 38 ‘vulnerable locations’, the state’s Joint Chief Electoral Officer Zorammuana said Sunday. The state will have a total of 1,164 polling stations for the November 28 Assembly polls. Along with the state armed police, 40 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) would also be deployed in critical polling stations and also in those at vulnerable locations, Zorammuana told PTI. While the training for poll officials is on, the state election machinery is preparing to conduct free, fair and peaceful polls as was done in the past. Meanwhile, poll campaign in the state is in full swing with candidates including Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, former chief minister and opposition MNF president Zoramthanga campaigning not only in their respective constituencies but also in other parts of the state Public meetings, joint platforms and door-to-door canvassing were being held in almost all the places.