New Delhi, March 18 (HBTV): The Election Commission of India (ECI) has ordered removal of six Home secretaries in six states namely Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Additionally, the poll panel directed the transfer of West Bengal's Director General of Police, the state's chief cop.

This comes ahead of Lok Sabha elections to maintain free, fair, and transparent elections.

The re-shuffle, a common practice by the Election Commission before major polls, also involves the transfer of the Secretary of the General Administrative Department in Mizoram and Himachal Pradesh.

The Election Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, has ordered the removal of Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal, along with additional commissioners and deputy commissioners, just days after announcing the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections.

The EC has instructed all state governments to transfer officers involved in election-related tasks who have completed three years or are stationed in their home districts.

Notably, Maharashtra had failed to comply with the Election Commission's directions regarding the removal of several municipal commissioners, as well as additional and deputy municipal commissioners.

While conveying displeasure to the state chief secretary, the commission directed the transfer of BMC and the additional and deputy commissioners with the direction to report by 6 pm on Monday.

Furthermore, the chief secretary was mandated to transfer all similarly positioned municipal commissioners, as well as additional or deputy municipal commissioners, across other corporations in Maharashtra.

These actions form part of the commission's endeavors to uphold a level-playing field and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, a priority reiterated by Chief Election Commissioner Kumar on numerous occasions.