Aizawl, Nov 5 (UNI) Minutes after Lal Thanhawla on Monday came under attack by retired bureaucrats for 'not protecting' the replaced Home Secretary Lalnunmawaia Chuaungo, the Mizoram Chief Minister dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded that the controversial Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S B Sashank be removed at the earliest from his post.
"With the complete loss of confidence in him by the people, the only solution for smooth conduct of Assembly elections 2018 now would be removal of Shri S B Sashank, CEO from the office
forthwith," the Chief Minister wrote in a letter to the Prime Minister.
Mr Sashank was served with 'Quit Mizoram' notice by the influential YMA-headed NGOs body on Friday.
On Monday morning, Mr Sashank addressed a press conference here which was boycotted by a section of media owing allegiance to Mizoram Journalists' Association.
"I feel the civil society will understand my position as an officer," Mr Sashank said.
"I never had an intention of hurting the sentiment of the local Mizos or the civil society. This is a very rational society (about Mizoram)," he said adding - "I am sorry......I appeal to the civil society here to rise up to their rationale. They should listen to their inner voice and see what an officer is supposed to do".
Mr Lal Thanhawla in his letter to Prime Minister also went on to suggest that Mr Sashank "can very well hand over his charge to the Additional CEO even if fresh arrangements cannot be made at this juncture".
In his missive, the Chief Minister accused Mr Sashank of showing "complete failure to take his
own colleagues into confidence" and that his style of functioning has led to this "impasse".
Earlier in the day, in a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the Chief Minister said Mizoram has always conducted elections in the state in a fair and peaceful manner.
"However, this time around it is due to the inept handling by an inexperienced and incompetent Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) that prompted the Election Commission to take drastic action (transfer of the Home Secretary Chuaungo)," the Chief Minister wrote.
He said the civil society in the society has not taken the issue "lightly" and went on to add: "...we in the government also fully supported" the stand of the NGOs that Brus (or Reangs) in Tripura relief camps come to Mizoram and cast votes like other citizens from outside the state do during elections.
Asked to comment on the Chief Minister's letter to the Union Home Minister against him, the CEO Sashank told UNI: "I am not aware of any such letter from the Chief Minister".
Addressing a press conference, ZPM leaders including two retired IAS officers Lalfak Zuala and Rinsanga lashed out at state Chief Electoral Officer S B Sashank for his 'complaint' against the then Home Secretary Lalnunmawaia Chuaungo and said - "if at all" he had to complain it should have been against the entire state government.
To a question, Mr Zuala said that way the drastic action from the Election Commission was also unwarranted as the party responsible for supposed confrontation between the Home department and the state CEO was the state government itself.
"We are not happy about it".
Former IAS officials came out strongly in support of the 'replaced' Home Secretary and maintained if at all anyone interfered in the process of conduct of elections, it was the 'state government'.
"If that is the case, the state Chief Minister (Lal Thanhawla) should have protected the Home Secretary," said former Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalfak Zuala, also the chairman of a powerful Val Upa Council.
Mr Lal Thanhawla also holds the portfolio of Home.
UNI DEVN RSA 1726