EC orders removal of Sehore Collector, SP

Bhopal, Apr 20 (UNI) The Election Commission has directed removal of Sehore Collector S K Mishra and Superintendent of Police I P Kulshrestha, following complaints regarding violation of the model code of conduct ahead of the April 24 Budhni Assembly bypoll in which Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the BJP candidate, official sources said today.

However, an IAS officer Raghavendra Singh, who was earlier Additional Commissioner (Rajya Shiksha Kendra), has been posted in Mr Mishra's place.

Mr Mishra has been shifted elsewhere as an additional secretary.

The commission's action followed a visit by its Director (Administration) Rajesh Agrawal to the state capital where he held parleys with the chief electoral officer and other functionaries.

The state's main Opposition Congress and some other parties had lodged complaints of code violation and misuse of government machinery.

In a brief interaction with the press, Mr Agrawal assured that the code would be implemented in letter and spirit.

''In the wake of several complaints, I toured Budhni, took stock of the situation and dispatched my report to the commission,'' the bureaucrat explained.

Meanwhile, Mr Chouhan met Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Patidar this afternoon but the details of their interaction could not be known. The Chief Minister also met Mr Agrawal and presented his side of the matter.

The Congress complained of misuse of government machinery and code violation by officials.

(Eds: Pl pick up suitably from earlier story) UNI SD-AC HS RAI2335