EC removes UP Chief Secretary

Lucknow, Mar 16 (UNI) The Election Commission (EC) today removed Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary (CS) Navin Chandra Bajpai.

Senior IAS officer Shambhu Nath of 1970 batch, the senior-most officer serving in the UP, is the new Chief Secretary of the state with immediate effect.

EC has also given an extension of six months to the new Chief Secretary, who was due to retire from service on March 31.

Yesterday, the EC had appointed G L Sharma as the new DGP of the UP and transferred several other senior officials.

At present, Mr Nath, a native of Ranchi in Jharkhand, is Chairman UP State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) and had served as principal secretary to the governor for a long period. He is also the President of the UP IAS Association.

The new Chief Secretary will assume charge this evening.

According to the EC sources, the decision was taken in the wake of large-scale apprehension expressed by the political opponents of the Samajwadi Party that Mr Bajpai was close to the ruling party in the state.

UNI