Maharashtra govt transfers 14 deputy, joint secretaries of various departments after Election Commission’s directive

The Maharashtra government has transferred 14 officers of the rank of deputy secretaries and joint secretaries posted in various departments.

These officers were transferred after the Election Commission of India, during its visit to Maharashtra from September 26 to 28, expressed serious displeasure over the state government’s non-compliance with its directives relating to the transfers of government officers and police personnel who had completed three-year tenure and those stationed in the same district for a long.

These transfers were made ahead of the ECI’s announcement on the state Assembly election schedule on Tuesday.

State Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik and State Director General of Police Rashi Shukla assured that they would comply with the poll panel’s directive.

As per the transfer order, the state government has transferred Home Department’s joint secretary Vyankatesh Bhat to the Industry, Energy, Labour and Mining Department; Revenue and Forest Department joint secretary Atul Kide to the Planning Department, Water Resources Department joint secretary Uddhav Dahiphale to the Energy, Labour and Mining Department; Industry, Energy, Labour and Mining Department joint secretaries Sanjay Degavkar and Prashant Badgering to Public Work Department and Home Department, respectively.

Cooperation, Marketing and Textile Department joint secretary Santosh Khorgade has been transferred to the Higher and Technical Education Department; Chief Minister’s Office joint secretary Kailas Bilonikar to Water Resources Department and School Education Minister’s Office joint secretary Mangesh Shinde to Schools Education and Sports Department.

Further, the deputy secretary Satish Tidke in the Higher and Technical Departments has been transferred to the Cooperation, Marketing and Textile Department; deputy secretary Sunil Tumbare in the Home Department to the General Administration Department and Rural Development Department deputy secretary Pandit Jadhav to the Home Department.

The deputy secretaries in the Chief Minister’s Office Sachin Sahasrabudhe, Chandrashekhar Tarange and Manojkumar Mahale have been transferred to Rural Development Department, Home Department and Revenue and Forest Department, respectively.

Meanwhile, the state government has also transferred 24 under secretaries from various departments.