New Delhi, Nov 15 (UNI) The Election Commission on Thursday put to rest the major row in Mizoram wherein the demand for 'removal' of the Chief Electoral Officer S B Shashank had almost paralysed the ongoing election process in the state.
After days of deliberations and series of meetings with Mizo civil society leaders, the Election Commission finally replaced State Chief Election Officer S B Shashank but retained him as an officer attached to the poll panel till further orders.
According to an EC order, Ashish Kundra, Secretary General Administration in Mizoram, will be the new CEO of the state which goes to the polls on November 28.
The order further said Mr Shashank will be attached to the Election Commission in New Delhi "with immediate effect" till further orders.
The EC sources told UNI the appointment of Mr Kundra, 1996 batch IAS officer, as CEO was done in consultation with the Mizoram government.
Mizoram Chief Secretary Arvind Ray had reportedly sent first three names to the poll panel to be considered as new CEO replacing Mr Shashank. Another list of two additional names were also sought by the Election Commission.

The outgoing CEO Mr Shashank courted controversy once his complaint against the former Home Secretary, a Mizo IAS officer, Lalnunmawaia Chuaungo had led to the transfer of the secretary.
On November 6, thousands of Mizo students, NGO activists and common people took to the streets and 'gheraoed' CEO's office in state capital Aizawl. The protestors called off stir in the afternoon and agreed to meet a special delegation sent by the Election Commission.
Protest meetings and rallies were reported from other parts of the state also. The NGO Coordination Committee in Mizoram-Tripura-Bangladesh border town Mamit had forced a total shut down on November 6 - also supporting the demand for CEO Shashank's ouster.
The NGO Coordination Committee had also appealed to the Federation of Mizoram Government Employees and Workers (FMGEW) to support the agitation and cease work.
Pressure seemed to be mounting on the Election Commission, which had ordered replacement of a Mizo IAS officer and former Principal Home Secretary Lalnunmawaia Chuaungo on November 2.
In quite unprecedented developments, Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and also state BJP chief J V Hluna in their separate letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also demanded the ouster of CEO Shashank.
UNI DEVN RSA 1420