ECI restores oversight over IT Director General after internal row
What's the story
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has restored oversight over its Director General (IT), Seema Khanna, in a new work allocation order, The Indian Express reported. The decision comes three months after an internal row over the matter. The July 28 order had removed the oversight layer from Khanna, making her report directly to the commission instead of a Deputy Election Commissioner (DEC).
Order details
New order reaffirms oversight over Khanna
The new work allocation order, issued on Wednesday, has reaffirmed the oversight over Khanna, which had been removed by a July 28 order that the EC said was never implemented following a decision on July 30.
Currently, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sharma has been assigned charge of "IT/ICT."
The order states that Khanna will now put up files through Sharma for functional divisions related to IT and ICT.
Row details
Internal row started after concerns raised by ECs
The internal row started after Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi raised concerns over the July 28 order.
They alleged that Senior DEC Maneesh Garg issued the order without the commission's approval.
The two ECs wrote to Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, clarifying that the letter was not related to any policy matter but to the working of an officer on deputation.
Clarification issued
ECI clarified in press note on September 26
The ECI clarified in a press note on September 26 that the letter to the Cabinet Secretary was not related to any policy matter of the Commission or IT division.
It stated that work redistribution orders were not implemented after directions from Sandhu and Joshi.
In an affidavit before the Supreme Court in October, the ECI reiterated that in view of the joint direction dated July 30 by the two Election Commissioners, the order of July 28 was never implemented.
Other updates
New order considers recently-appointed Deputy Election Commissioner Prakash Rajpurohit
Apart from restoring oversight over Khanna, the new order also considers recently-appointed Deputy Election Commissioner Prakash Rajpurohit.
He has been assigned subjects like election planning, Model Code of Conduct, and delimitation. Rajpurohit will support Senior DEC Garg on election planning.
The changes come after an internal row over work allocation and amid concerns about access to ERONet, a platform that helps EC officials maintain the electoral system.